On November 19th 2014, it was announced that a Kickstarter campaign had begun for Lunar Mission One. Lunar Mission One is the brain child of a UK based team called Lunar Missions LTD. the project plans to bury a time capsule containing digital memory boxes at the moon's south pole.
Lunar Mission One will be in two parts, a public and a private archive. An unmanned robotic lander will be sent to the moon to drill the rock at it's southern pole region. Scientist will have a chance to explore a previously unexplored area of rock that could date back to the beginning of the solar system, some 4.5 billion years ago. The time capsule will be laid after several months of drilling.
The Kickstarter campaign raised $313,000 in its first 24 hours and has managed to garner $500,000 as of November 26th, 2014. The goal is to raise $950,000 by December 18th, 2014. Minimum pledges are set at $1.50, but for $94 or more anyone can reserve a space in the public archive. The expected launch of Lunar Mission One is 2024.
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Google's YouTube Music Key Becomes Reality
On November 17th 2014 the long rumored music streaming service from Google became a reality, as Google announced the release of its YouTube Music Key. The streaming service is being offered both as an ad supported version and an ad free subscription version.
The ad sponsored version, YouTube Music, will now offer not only your favorite songs but will allow users to stream full albums. After finalizing deals with the major labels, YouTube Music now has access to an extensive catalog of music that reaches across a wide array of genres. If there is a video for a particular song, the clip will play as usual. If the song doesn't have a video, then the listener will watch an "Art Track," which is simply a clip of the album art for that particular song.
The ad free subscription version, YouTube Music Key, is being offered right now for a promotional price of $7.99 per month. The regular price will be $9.99 per month. Subscribers will also get access to YouTube's extensive catalog of songs, but will get the added benefit of being able to store there favorite tracks on their smart phones, for offline playback. But wait, there's more. YouTube Music Key subscribers will also get a membership to Google Play Music, its music only subscription service.
YouTube Music Key is currently in beta. You can ask for an invitation, and if you're lucky enough to get one, you will be able to try YouTube Music Key free for six months.
The ad sponsored version, YouTube Music, will now offer not only your favorite songs but will allow users to stream full albums. After finalizing deals with the major labels, YouTube Music now has access to an extensive catalog of music that reaches across a wide array of genres. If there is a video for a particular song, the clip will play as usual. If the song doesn't have a video, then the listener will watch an "Art Track," which is simply a clip of the album art for that particular song.
The ad free subscription version, YouTube Music Key, is being offered right now for a promotional price of $7.99 per month. The regular price will be $9.99 per month. Subscribers will also get access to YouTube's extensive catalog of songs, but will get the added benefit of being able to store there favorite tracks on their smart phones, for offline playback. But wait, there's more. YouTube Music Key subscribers will also get a membership to Google Play Music, its music only subscription service.
YouTube Music Key is currently in beta. You can ask for an invitation, and if you're lucky enough to get one, you will be able to try YouTube Music Key free for six months.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Lytro's Light Field Tech
On November 6th 2014, Lytro announced that it would open up its light field technology for development by other companies. Many companies have been quick to jump on board including NASA and the Department of Defense. The new Lytro Development Kit or LDK is expected to license for $20,000 annually.
Lytro's light field technology is used in cameras and allows the user to manipulate the focus of a photograph after the shot has been taken. It does this by using a light field sensor that senses the direction from which the light is traveling relative to the shot, rather than capturing the light from a single plane. Using the additional software, a user can pivot the shot around for a 3D effect or alter the focus.
Lytro released its first light field camera in 2011. Since then it has become a huge hit within the photographic and scientific communities. The camera uses a megaray sensor rather than megapixels for its source of resolution. The technology has great potential for 3D gaming. NASA, however hopes to incorporate the technology into its planetary rovers and other space missions. The Department of Defense is eying the technology's use in it's Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate.
Lytro's light field technology is used in cameras and allows the user to manipulate the focus of a photograph after the shot has been taken. It does this by using a light field sensor that senses the direction from which the light is traveling relative to the shot, rather than capturing the light from a single plane. Using the additional software, a user can pivot the shot around for a 3D effect or alter the focus.
Lytro released its first light field camera in 2011. Since then it has become a huge hit within the photographic and scientific communities. The camera uses a megaray sensor rather than megapixels for its source of resolution. The technology has great potential for 3D gaming. NASA, however hopes to incorporate the technology into its planetary rovers and other space missions. The Department of Defense is eying the technology's use in it's Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Rosetta's Rendezvous With History
On November 12th 2014, the Rosetta spacecraft will attempt to make history by deploying its lander, Philae, onto the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The $1.6 billion mission will provide humanity with its first glimpse of the physical make up of a comet.
On November 4 2014, the European Space Agency announced that the landing site on comet 67P, formally known as Site J, had been renamed, Agilkia, which is the name of an island in the Nile river.
The landing is scheduled to begin at 8:35am on November 12th and it is expected to take Philae 7 hours to reach the comets surface. Confirmation of the lander's touchdown is expected to be about 4:00 pm. While Philae descends it will take pictures and perform experiments.
Once Philae lands, it will begin another series of experiments that may help in unraveling the composition of comets. A drill will take tiny pieces of comet into the lander where they will be tested by several devices. A gas chromatograph mass spectrometer will analyze the ratios of the different isotopes of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and other elements found on comet P67. The Rosetta spacecraft will monitor all of Philae's activities while it orbits comet P67.
Scientists are hopeful that they will find evidence of amino acids, which are the building blocks of life. If so, it will confirm that comets brought those building blocks to the Earth. Other experiments may confirm that comets also brought water to the Earth. Proof of both could mean that life did indeed come from space.
On November 4 2014, the European Space Agency announced that the landing site on comet 67P, formally known as Site J, had been renamed, Agilkia, which is the name of an island in the Nile river.
The landing is scheduled to begin at 8:35am on November 12th and it is expected to take Philae 7 hours to reach the comets surface. Confirmation of the lander's touchdown is expected to be about 4:00 pm. While Philae descends it will take pictures and perform experiments.
Once Philae lands, it will begin another series of experiments that may help in unraveling the composition of comets. A drill will take tiny pieces of comet into the lander where they will be tested by several devices. A gas chromatograph mass spectrometer will analyze the ratios of the different isotopes of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and other elements found on comet P67. The Rosetta spacecraft will monitor all of Philae's activities while it orbits comet P67.
Scientists are hopeful that they will find evidence of amino acids, which are the building blocks of life. If so, it will confirm that comets brought those building blocks to the Earth. Other experiments may confirm that comets also brought water to the Earth. Proof of both could mean that life did indeed come from space.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)