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Showing posts from March, 2010

Space Station News: Troubleshooting, Maintenance for Crew Before Visitors Arrive

Image above: T.J. Creamer, Expedition 23 flight engineer, works on the Water Processing Assembly. Credit: NASA TV Expedition 23 Flight Engineer T.J. Creamer continues troubleshooting the Water Processing Assembly (WPA) in conjunction with specialists in Mission Control. Last week after he performed leak checks on the WPA, ground specialists decided to take a closer look at a catalytic reactor. They uplinked more troubleshooting procedures to the crew before continuing further work. On Tuesday, Creamer downlinked live close-up video of condensation collecting on the WPA to assist Mission Control. Expedition 23 Commander Oleg Kotov and Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi were in the Zvezda service module replacing equipment inside the treadmill vibration isolation system (TVIS). They also took detailed photographs of the TVIS and its various parts for analysis on Earth. Next week two spacecraft carrying eight astronauts and two cosmonauts will dock to t he International Space Station . The S

Nasa News Today: Discovery and Crew Draw Closer to Launch Day

At Launch Pad 39A today, NASA's Kennedy Space Center technicians will pressurize space shuttle Discovery's main propulsion system for flight in preparation for its 6:21 a.m. EDT liftoff on April 5. The STS-131 crew continues to slip their sleep schedules to accommodate their mission flight schedule, as they prepare to fly to Kennedy from their home base in Houston on April 1. Last Friday, NASA managers gave Discovery the "go" for launch after an all-day Flight Readiness Review meeting. At the review, they determined that there were no unresolved issues that would prevent Discovery and crew from flying a safe and successful mission. Space Shuttle Mission: STS-131 Image above: Discovery's STS-131 payload canister is raised into the launch pad's payload changeout room. Image credit: NASA/Troy Cryder › View larger image › Meet the STS-131 Crew Discovery and Crew Prepare for STS-131 Mission Commander Alan Poindexter is set to lead the STS-131 mission to the Inte

Nasa News Today: NASA Schedules News Conference about Next Space Shuttle Launch

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA managers will hold a news conference on Friday, March 26, at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to discuss the status of the next space shuttle launch. The briefing will begin after the Flight Readiness Review, a meeting to assess preparations for shuttle Discovery's STS-131 mission to the International Space Station. Live status updates, including the start time for the news conference, will be provided during the meeting via the NASA News Twitter feed. To access the feed, go to the NASA.gov homepage or visit: http://www.twitter.com/nasa The review is expected to include the selection of an official launch date. Discovery is targeted to launch at 6:21 a.m. EDT on Monday, April 5. The briefing participants are: - Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations - John Shannon, Space Shuttle Program manager - Pete Nickolenko, STS-131 launch director NASA Television and the agency's Web site will carry the live briefin

Nasa News Today: Flight Readiness Review Scheduled for Friday

Tuesday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida , engineers discussed data from tests performed last weekend on space shuttle Discovery's right reaction control system helium regulators. The decision was made to move forward with this Friday's agency-level Flight Readiness Review. At the conclusion of the review, managers will set the official launch date for the STS-131 mission, which is currently targeted for April 5. Space Shuttle Mission: STS-131 Image above: Discovery's STS-131 payload canister is raised into the launch pad's payload changeout room. Image credit: NASA/Troy Cryder › View larger image › Meet the STS-131 Crew Discovery and Crew Prepare for STS-131 Mission Commander Alan Poindexter is set to lead the STS-131 mission to the International Space Station aboard space shuttle Discovery. Joining Poindexter will be Pilot Jim Dutton and Mission Specialists Rick Mastracchio, Clay Anderson, Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Stephanie Wilson and Naoko Yamazaki

Current Bollywood News: Rs. 1 crore superhero suit for SRK!

Shah Rukh Khan had to enter a chamber filled with hot molten latex to make his superhero suit for Ra.One. The cost? A cool Rs 1 crore It’s probably the most expensive body suit in Bollywood history , but Shah Rukh Khan will remember it for entirely different reasons. Shah Rukh, who plays a superhero in the Anubhav Sinha directed Ra.One, will be seen in the special body suit which was custom made for him in Los Angeles. The process involved in creating that suit was something the actor had never experienced before. He was required to lower himself wearing just the bare essentials into a 12X3 chamber while a very warm liquid latex-like material was gradually released in it till it reached his neck. Then it was allowed to solidify. Once the mould was formed, it was slit from the side and slowly peeled off Shah Rukh. The whole painful process took one hour. The two sides were later joined together with a concealed zipper. The mould was then taken for further modifications to form the final

IPL 2010 News: “Injured Dhoni” out of IPL 3 for 10 days

Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni Has been ruled out of the next few IPL games after an elbow Injury. He may be out of action for the next 10 days. Suresh Raina will stand in as Chennai captain. Dhoni hurt his elbow while batting against the Kolkata Knight Riders in Tuesday's match at Eden Garden. A delivery from new KKR buy and pacer Shane Bond hit Dhoni on the right elbow. Despite the injury, Dhoni was Man of the Match for his unbeaten knock of 66. He also took a diving catch to dismiss Owais Shah off Lakshmipathy Balaji's bowling. Later, during the post-match presentations, the Chennai skipper was seen sporting a pack and bandage on his right elbow and shook hands left-handed. Chennai Super Kings will play Delhi Daredevils at the Ferozshah Kotla in the Capital on Friday. With Delhi in great form, Chennai will be at a disadvantage without their dashing skipper. Chennai began the tournament badly, losing to the Deccan Chargers and the Dhoni-led win against the Kolkata Kn

Current Nasa News: Crew Does Science, Prepares for Undocking

Image above: Sir Bani Yas Island is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 22 crew member aboard the International Space Station. Credit: NASA The Expedition 22 crew aboard the International Space Station conducted scientific research Tuesday while preparing for the departure of two of its members. Flight Engineer T.J. Creamer worked on the Long Term Microgravity: A Model for Investigating Mechanisms of Heart Disease with New Portable Equipment (Card) experiment that studies blood pressure decreases when the human body is exposed to microgravity. In order to increase the blood pressure to the level it was on Earth, salt is added to the crew members' diet. To monitor this, blood pressure readings are performed at different intervals during the mission. Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi performed routine maintenance on the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) which he later used to exercise. The ARED uses vacuum cylinders to mimic weightlifting exercises in the micr

Nasa News Toady: Surprise Shrimp Under Antarctic Ice

At a depth of 600 feet beneath the West Antarctic ice sheet, a small shrimp-like creature managed to brighten up an otherwise gray polar day in late November 2009. This critter is a three-inch long Lyssianasid amphipod found beneath the Ross Ice Shelf, about 12.5 miles away from open water. NASA scientists were using a borehole camera to look back up towards the ice surface when they spotted this pinkish-orange creature swimming beneath the ice. Credit: NASA

Current Tennis News: Kuznetsova upset in 2nd round

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) -- Svetlana Kuznetsova had a succinct explanation for losing her opening match at the BNP Paribas Open . " The tennis ball is perfect. I am not perfect," the top-seeded Russian said after a 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 loss to Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro in the second round on Saturday. Kuznetsova, who hadn't played in a month and had a first-round bye, made 69 unforced errors and double-faulted seven times against Suarez Navarro, who arrived here ranked No. 42 in the WTA Tour after reaching the semifinals at Acapulco, Mexico, last week. "It's frustrating because I know I have the game," said Kuznetsova, ranked No. 3 overall. "I feel great. I do practice, play unbelievable and then I get to the match and I don't do much." "I feel good and the ball doesn't go where I want it to go, you know. I play there and it goes a different way. I'm like OK, I play tennis for like 17 years and I still cannot put this little ball

RSS rollback, payload to the pad delayed at least 24 hours - Latest Nasa News

Last night, while venting shuttle Discovery's aft fuel propellant tanks in preparation for fuel loading, the Right Reaction Control System (RRCS) fuel helium tank pressure unexpectedly decreased in unison with the RRCS fuel propellant tank. Troubleshooting overnight revealed at least one helium isolation valve that is leaking or is remaining in the open position when it is expected to be closed. Following a review meeting this morning, engineers have decided to complete Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) Reaction Control System fuel loading, Solid Rocket Booster Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU) tilt system and Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) hydrazine loads this weekend. Engineers will meet again Monday morning to discuss options. Currently, Rotating Service Structure (RSS) rotation will be delayed to no earlier than Tuesday, March 16; and payload delivery to the pad will be delayed to no earlier than Wednesday, March 17. Launch still is targeted for April 5. Space Shuttle Mission: STS-131 Ima

Nasa news today - Small Fine Arm Deployment Complete; Williams, Suraev Prepare for Departure

Image above: This view looking outside from Kibo’s airlock shows the small fine arm attached to the Exposed Facility. Credit: NASA Expedition 22 Flight Engineers Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi and NASA astronaut T.J. Creamer completed the deployment and calibration of the new small fine arm (SFA). The SFA was assembled then installed inside the Kibo laboratory’s airlock by Noguchi where it was removed with the module’s main robotic arm – the Japanese Experiment Module Remote Manipulator System. The SFA performs delicate robotics work, is an extension of the Kibo laboratory’s main robotic arm and has been temporarily parked on Kibo’s Exposed Facility. Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Maxim Suraev continue packing for their return to Earth on March 18. They will enter their Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft and undock from the International Space Station for a three-and-a-half-hour ride with a landing in Kazakhstan. Expedition 22 crew members Noguchi, Creamer and Oleg Kotov will co

Nasa News Today: Robotics and Departure Preparations for Crew

Image above: Expedition 22 Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi works at a robotic workstation in the Kibo laboratory of the International Space Station. Credit: NASA The Expedition 22 crew members aboard the International Space Station were busy Thursday with robotics activities and preparations for upcoming spacecraft departures. Flight Engineers Soichi Noguchi and T.J. Creamer performed a series of checkouts and calibrations on the Kibo laboratory’s newest robotic arm, known as the small fine arm. Once its deployment is complete, the small fine arm will be used on the end of the laboratory’s larger main arm to move small science experiments and pieces of hardware on the Kibo Exposed Facility. Creamer also had time to work with the 3D Space experiment, which involves distance, writing and illusion exercises designed to test the hypothesis that altered visual perception affects motor control. Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov packed and transferred unneeded items into ISS Progress 35, which is sc

Crew and Shuttle: Preparations Continue - Nasa News Today

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida today, technicians at Launch Pad 39A are loading space shuttle Discovery's solid rocket booster hydraulic power units with hydrazine in preparation for its targeted launch on April 5. The STS-131 astronauts are reviewing docking and robotics systems manuals at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Commander Alan Poindexter and Pilot James P. Dutton Jr. will wrap up the day with a training run in the Shuttle Training Aircraft at the White Sands Space Harbor in Las Cruces, N.M. Yesterday, Space Shuttle Program managers wrapped up their review of Discovery's readiness for flight. The meeting was a precursor to the agency's executive-level review on March 26, which will establish a firm launch date for this next mission to the International Space Station. Space Shuttle Mission : STS-131 In the White Room of Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida , the members of space shuttle Discovery's STS-131 cre

World Cup hockey 2010: End of the world for Kirkham

GLENN Kirkham and his England team-mates saw their World Cup hockey 2010 campaign grind to a halt as they were beaten 4-1 by Germany in the semi-finals in New Delhi yesterday. Hopes were high for the Perse School hockey coach and his colleagues after an impressive group stage campaign, which saw them become the first to qualify for the last four thanks to victories over favourites Australia, India. Pakistan and South Africa. But they fell behind to Jan-Marco Montag’s goal from a short corner after six minutes and that became 2-0 five minutes later through Oliver Korn. Richard Smith pulled one back for England, but Martin Haner re-established Germany’s two-goal advantage just before the break and Linus Butt rounded off the scoring from a penalty corner. Germany will face Australia in the final after they beat Holland 2-1 in the other semi, with the Dutch now playing England for the bronze medal. England captain Barry Middleton, who will have the responsibility of picking his team-mates

Latest Bollywood News: “A R Rahman’s” Journey Home

India’s most celebrated music director, Oscar and Grammy Award winner A R Rahman, has planned a music tour to salute Bollywood and Indian music. He has reportedly teamed up with producer Deepak Gattani with creative director Amy Tinkham, who is famous for creating live musical concerts for Britney Spears, Back Street Boys and Mariah Carey. According to Rahman’s spokesperson, The A R Rahman Jai Ho Concert: The Journey Home World Tour, will be a modern presentation of traditions of India in a theatrical format. I t is said to be a musical as well as visual extravaganza with large images on LED screens and will have a magnificent cast of musicians and dancers from across the globe, making the concert a “theatrical experience utilizing new technologies”, according to a recent press release. Rahman had most recently participated in the 2010 remake of ' We Are The World ' to benefit Haiti, and it is important to note that the concert will feature music that Rahman was working on wit

Current Nasa News: Chopper Crash Test a Smash Hit

Click to enlarge The MD-500 before and after the drop test. Credit: NASA/Sean Smith The second crash test of a small lightweight helicopter at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., was a smashing success, literally -- just as engineers had predicted. "Three, two, one, release," said the technician on the loudspeaker at the Landing and Impact Research Facility. With that countdown the helicopter smacked hard into the concrete. Its skid gear collapsed, its windscreen cracked open and its occupants lurched forward violently, suffering potentially spine-crushing injuries according to internal data recorders. The crash test was all in the name of research to try to make helicopters safer. "The goal of any research program that has an element of impact dynamics is to develop an understanding of the crash response of the vehicle," said Karen Jackson, an aerospace engineer who oversaw the test. "Once we understand that response we can look at ways t

“Akon” to break out some Hindi for Bollywood movie soundtrack - Entertainment News

Akon be leaving the Maida Vale studio after appearing on the Radio 1 Live Lounge. Akon Stopped by to pose and sign autographs for awaiting fans before he left in convoy of chauffeur driven vans. - Laurent Despois / Splash News American rapper Akon will break out some Hindi for a Bollywood movie. Akon, 36, will record a song for the movie soundtrack of RA.One, a science fiction action flick that will feature Bollywood heart-throb, Shah Rukh Khan, and the actress Kareena Kapoor . Akon follows Snoop Dogg in the rap into Bollywood. Snoop recorded music for the soundtrack of the 2008 Singh Is Kinng, a comic caper about a Punjabi villager who becomes 'Kinng' of the Australian underworld, according to imdb.com. AFP reports Khan said in Mumbai: 'He [Akon] is a gracious person. He will record a song in Hindi and will also feature in the video. He has flown [in] with his family, friends and team of musicians.' Akon, who is donating his services gratis, said: 'India is my nex

“10,000 claims over 9/11 illness” injuries settled – World wide daily news

The WTC Captive Insurance Co. announced settlements Thursday in more than 10,000 plaintiffs who claimed sickness or injuries after the 9/11 terrorist attacks . The settlements could total up to $657 million. WTC Captive was created with a $1 billion FEMA grant and provides insurance coverage to the City of New York and its debris-removal contractors. In the aftermath of attacks of September 11, 2001, New York was unable to get adequate amounts of liability insurance for the rescue, recovery and debris-removal work done at the World Trade Center site. The settlement would provide a system to pay for the compensation of the injury claims made by people working on the rescue and debris removal for the city and its contractors. This would include construction workers, firefighters, police officers and other workers and volunteers. The settlement would also fund a special insurance policy, which provides additional compensation to any plaintiff contracting certain types of cancer in the fut

Aamir Khan to meet Avatar director “James Cameron” - Bollywood News Today

It looks like Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan is shifting his focus to Hollywood. He has agreed to act in Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle’s movie Bombay Velvet to be directed by Anurag Kashyap. Now, he is going to meet Avatar director James Cameron . Aamir and Cameron will meet at a seminar in Delhi tomorrow (March 13). They will discuss about the changing environment of filmmaking at the seminar. Aamir is said to be very keen on meeting the Hollywood stalwart and is planning to ask him on marketing and distributing films in the west. Cameron too is said to have been briefed about the Bollywood superstar. We don’t know what will come out of the meeting but it will be a great news if Cameron offers Aamir a role in his film!

DLF IPL 2010: MAX UNVEILS MEGA extraaa innings T20 - Latest Cricket News

March 11, 2010 (Sampurn Wire):: MAX, India’s Premium Hindi Movies and Special Events channel and the official broadcaster of the DLF IPL , be all set to bring to your homes, the excitement, the glamour and the LIVE analysis of the third season of the world’s largest cricket extravaganza, MAX extraaa innings T20 , the first and only one of its kind, cricket wrap-around show that always lives up to its name by providing something extraaa. extraaa innings T20 this year promises to entertain you just as it did the last season, the exception being, like everything else about the DLF IPL 2010, extraaa innings T20 is also going to be bigger and better. MAX has created yet another mesmerising way to mirror the people’s emotions and say “DLF IPL 2010 “Laut Aaya’. Composed by the musical duo, Vishal-Shekhar and sung by Shekhar, “Laut Aaya’ is a melody of grand scale that will be used to picture the opening montage of extraaa innings T20. “Laut Aaya’ is a melody made up of distinctly Indian notes

“3 Idiots” to spread peace in Australia - Bollywood News Today

Australia would be the last country for any filmmaker to release Hindi film at the moment owing to the series of attacks on Indians there. However, Rajkumar Hirani be releasing his blockbuster 3 Idiots there with an aim to bridge the gap between the two countries. Hirani, who is currently in Australia along with Rani Mukherjee to promote Indian film festival, is screening “3 Idiots” starring Aamir Khan, Madhavan, Sharman Joshi and Kareena Kapoor in the country starting today (March 11). The director said that the incidents of the attacks on Indians are sad but that doesn’t mean that all Aussies are against Indians. Rani also said that they are in the country for Australians and for the Indians and the Asian communities who love Indian films. She added that they are there for a greater cause, as only few believe in hatred. Director of the Film Festival Mitu Lange is looking forward to bring about cultural bridge between the Australian and Indian communities through the film festival.

Hurricane Season 2010: Tropical Cyclone 90S (Southern Indian Ocean) - Nasa News Today

Tropical Cyclone Formation Likely Near Madagascar > View larger image This infrared image from AIRS shows how the high cold clouds (blue) are starting to band, or wrap around the low's center of circulation on March 8 at 5:23 a.m. ET. Credit: NASA JPL, Ed Olsen Forecasters are watching a low pressure area located off the east coast of Madagascar that appears ripe for development in the Southern Indian Ocean. If it becomes a tropical storm, it would be named Hubert. On March 9 the low, currently named "90S" is located near 20.1 South latitude and 50.8 East longitude is approximately 225 nautical miles east-southeast of the capital city of Antananarivo (which is located 145 miles inland from the east coast). The low's winds are estimated to be between 28- 34 mph (25 to 30 knots). The system is moving south-southeastward at 5 mph (4 knots). Minimum sea level pressure is estimated to be near 1000 millibars. Forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center noted that

"Crew Focuses on Robotics" and Command Change - Nasa News Today

Image above: Expedition 22 Commander Jeff Williams uses a still camera at a window in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station. Credit: NASA Robotics and handover activities took center stage Tuesday aboard the International Space Station as Expedition 22 draws to a close and the crew prepares for new residents and a visit by space shuttle Discovery. After breakfast and a checkout of station systems, Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi began his day with a ham radio call to students at Ikaruga Elementary School in the town of Taishi, Hyogo, Japan. Afterwards, Noguchi joined Commander Jeff Williams and fellow flight engineers Maxim Suraev, Oleg Kotov and T.J. Creamer for a safety handover briefing. With the departure of Williams and Suraev set for March 18, the crew reviewed the changing roles and responsibilities during an emergency such as a fire, an ammonia leak or a sudden loss of air pressure within the station. Williams and Suraev will return to Earth in their Soyu

Bangladesh: 'ignoring plight' of starving Burma refugees – World wide daily news

An American medical charity has warned that thousands of Burmese refugees in Bangladesh are facing starvation. Physicians for Human Rights said government authorities are preventing the Rohingya, a Muslim minority, from receiving adequate care. It accuses Bangladesh of obstructing efforts to help the Rohingya, who have fled Burma to escape persecution. The government has dismissed the allegations as it did similar reports by MSF last month. Aid blocks The new information by the Physicians for Human Rights, "Stateless and Starving: Persecuted Rohingya Flee Burma and Starve in Bangladesh," says children will starve if aid is not allowed to be delivered. It blamed the Bangladesh authorities for "arbitrary arrests, illegal expulsion and forced internment" of Burmese refugees, as neighbouring Burma prepares for elections later this year. The report described the makeshift camps for unregistered refugees - where an estimated 200,000 Rohingya are living - as "open-

Brad Haddin ton sets up Australia beat New Zealand by six wickets

Third one-day international , Hamilton: Australia 273-7 (50 ovs) beat New Zealand 245 all out (46.2 ovs) by six wickets Brad Haddin raced to his second one-day century as Australia beat New Zealand by six wickets in Hamilton to take a 2-1 lead in their five-match series. Haddin hit five sixes and seven fours in his 110 off 121 balls and shared a stand of 151 with Ricky Ponting (69). He was eventually stumped off Daniel Vettori but Cameron White and Adam Voges saw Australia home on 248-4. Earlier, Ryan Harris and Mitchell Johnson took three wickets each as New Zealand was bowled out for 245.

82nd Annual Academy Awards Oscar’s winners: Full list

The 82nd annual Academy Awards show is finally airing, and while there are certainly favorites, only time will tell who will actually catch the coveted awards. Keep checking back here to see a list of nominees as they're announced. 11:58 p.m.: Best picture goes to " Hurt Locker " 11:55 p.m.: Best director goes to Kathryn Bigelow 11:47 p.m.: Best actress goes to Sandra Bullock for " The Blind Side " 11:32 p.m.: And the best actor award goes to... Jeff Bridges for " Crazy Heart " 11:15 p.m.: Best foreign language film goes to " The Secret in Their Eyes ," from Argentina 11:07 p.m.: Best film editing goes to " The Hurt Locker " 11:04 p.m.: Best documentary feature goes to " The Cove " 10:54 p.m.: Best visual effects goes to " Avatar " 10:52 p.m.: Best original score goes to " Up " 10:35 p.m.: "Avatar" takes it for best cinematography 10:24 p.m.: Best sound editing and mixing both go to " T

Nithyananda's Sex Scandal with Ranjitha “videos”- world wide daily news

Famous Tamil film actress have been captured in the Sensational sex scandal video with Swamiji Nithyananda, who is known as the guru of Tamil Nadu. The unbelieving sex video scandal of the Swamiji, broadcasted by Sun News, has created shock waves across the Tamil Nadu State and the Country. Following the stories the young ladies in the video are Tamil actresses, it is speculated that they are Ranjitha and Ragasudha. The Tamil news channel Sun News TV broadcasted the video but didn’t reveal the identity of the girls involved. The actresses’ faces were unclear in the video. Someone has posted a full video in youtube few hours back with Nakkheeran.in’s water mark. In that video the young lady looks like Tamil Actress Rajitha. According to OneIndia.in, Actress Ragasudha has acted in films like Dhinamum Ennai Gavani, Iyer IPS. Tamil actress Ranjitha was introduced to films by the famous Tamil director Bharathiraja in Nadodithentral with Karthik. It maybe recalled that Ragasudha was in the