TO THE MOON, MARS, AND BEYOND

Many folks would like to see us back on the Moon and developing its resources.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

The Pioneer Detectives

Viktor Toth mentioned at his blog site a new eBook by Konstantin Kakaes about the Pioneer Anomaly.
Please excuse the plug for the book.

After reading Viktor's comments I had it down loaded to my Toshiba AT 300 Android tablet and had an enjoyable read with a free Kindle reader..
It brought back a lot of memories about the Pioneer 10 and 11 missions and conversations with Viktor Toth.
I must admit a surprise to see my name mentioned in print.  

Do read what Viktor has to say and some of the reviews at Amazon.com.
The story behind the story, told in an entertaining way, may interest you as well.
- LRK -

Viktor's blog
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I spent a part of yesterday afternoon speed-reading Konstantin Kakaes’s new e-book, The Pioneer Detectives. It’s a short book (still well worth the $2.99 Kindle price) but it reads very well and presents a fair picture of our efforts researching the origin of the anomalous acceleration of the Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft.

Yes, I was one of those “detectives”. (In fact, I still consider myself one, as I don’t believe our job is quite done yet; we still owe the community a detailed account of our research and an update of our Pioneer Anomaly reviewbefore we can move on with a clean conscience.) So I have an insider’s view of this very intriguing story.
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The Pioneer Detectives
- LRK -

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The Pioneer Detectives
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At Amazon.com
- LRK -

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The Pioneer Detectives: Did a distant spacecraft prove Einstein and Newton wrong? (Kindle Single) [Kindle Edition]

Konstantin Kakaes
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A number of reviews. A snip of one for flavor.
- LRK -

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
The heroes of science are those who follow the evidence wherever it leads them. Scientists may be motivated by glory and fame, they are human after all, but the good ones are also motivated by a fundamental desire to understand. Those men working on the Pioneer Anomaly, which, if true, would upend Einstein's theory of gravity, were motivated by understanding. What force could be acting on a spacecraft that made its actual distance so much different than the distance it should be at under Einstein's theory?

"Detectives" was a great word to choose for the title. This short book reads like an unfolding mystery, and Kakaes holds the answer until the end. In doing so, you learn to appreciate the incredible amount of honest work done by the team at Jet Propulsion Laboratory (also known as the coolest place on earth) in the face of bureaucratic intransigence along with lost and fading data.

The pacing of the book is excellent, and while Kakaes expects a lot from the reader (he doesn't skip over the science, since it's the integral to understanding the issue), he's a more than capable guide and you need not have a previously strong understanding of general relativity before diving in. Still, I admire for Kakaes for trusting his audience's intelligence, which allows him to tell a story without reverting to gimmicky metaphors. For those dismayed by the current canon of science writing for general readers as too dumbed down and extrapolative, this is the book for you.

Kakaes ends with some big thoughts, ones that leave the reader thinking long after finishing.
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Thanks for looking up with me.  
- LRK -
 
About

Recently In October 2008, I ended up acquiring the domain name spinor.info on a whim. I was looking for something else when it happened. Usually, nice and short names like spinor are already taken, even under a relatively new top-level domain like .info. But, spinor turned out to be an exception. And spinor.info has a kind of a ring to it.
One reason I like the name is that spinors play such an important role in modern physics. To say that without spinors, matter would not exist is not an exaggeration. “Stuff” in physics comes in many forms, all defined by their properties under a coordinate transformation. For instance, light (electromagnetism) can be described by a vector field, which means that the basic quantity of electromagnetism transforms as a vector does when we change coordinates. Gravity is a tensor field; it transforms as a rank-2 tensor. The hypothetical Higgs boson that is supposedly responsible for giving mass to matter transforms like a scalar field.
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This Web site is owned and operated by Viktor T. Toth.
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Konstantin Kakaes

Shared publicly  -  Jun 30, 2012
 
Late to this in this venue, because, frankly, I'd forgotten all about Google+. But here's a thing I wrote earlier this week, if you're interested:
http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2012/06/math_learning_software_and_other_technology_are_hurting_education_.html

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Konstantin Kakaes

Shared publicly  -  May 11, 2012
 
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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK -

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Thursday, July 11, 2013

Easily track the activities of the United States Congress.

If you wish to continue looking at the progress of H.R. 2616 and H.R. 2617, this may be helpful.
- LRK -

Use GovTrack to keep tabs on your representatives in Congress or to research pending legislation that might impact your life or business.

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H.R. 2616: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2013

Introduced:
Jul 08, 2013 (113th Congress, 2013–2015)
Sponsor:
Rep. Donna Edwards [D-MD4]
Status:
Referred to Committee
The bill’s title was written by the bill’s sponsor. H.R. stands for House of Representatives bill.











STATUS
This bill was assigned to a congressional committee on July 8, 2013, which will consider it before possibly sending it on to the House or Senate as a whole.
PROGRESS
IntroducedJul 08, 2013
Referred to CommitteeJul 08, 2013
Reported by Committee...
Passed House...
Passed Senate...
Signed by the President...
PROGNOSIS
10% chance of getting past committee.
4% chance of being enacted.
Only 11% of bills made it past committee and only about 3% were enacted in 2011–2013. [show factors |methodology]
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H.R. 2617: Apollo Lunar Landing Legacy Act

Introduced:
Jul 08, 2013 (113th Congress, 2013–2015)
Sponsor:
Rep. Donna Edwards [D-MD4]
Status:
Referred to Committee
The bill’s title was written by the bill’s sponsor. H.R. stands for House of Representatives bill.










STATUS
This bill was assigned to a congressional committee on July 8, 2013, which will consider it before possibly sending it on to the House or Senate as a whole.
PROGRESS
IntroducedJul 08, 2013
Referred to CommitteeJul 08, 2013
Reported by Committee...
Passed House...
Passed Senate...
Signed by the President...
PROGNOSIS
21% chance of getting past committee.
7% chance of being enacted.
Only 11% of bills made it past committee and only about 3% were enacted in 2011–2013. [show factors |methodology]
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And if you have other Bills that interest you, check out the bills section and About Govtrack.us
- LRK -

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Bills and Resolutions

Around 10,000 bills and resolutions are considered by the U.S. Congress in each two-year session, but of those only about 4% will become law. The current two-year session is called the 113th Congress.

Search for a Bill

Search for bills using the search box at the top right of every page, or use the advanced search to screen by status, subject, and other factors.
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Thanks for looking up with me.  
- LRK -
 
Moon Treaty
The Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies,[2] better known as the Moon Treaty or Moon Agreement, is an international treaty that turns jurisdiction of all celestial bodies (including the orbits around such bodies) over to the international community. Thus, all activities must conform to international law (notably this includes the UN Charter).
In practice it is a failed treaty since it has not been ratified by any nation which engages in self-launched manned space exploration or has plans to do so (e.g. the United States, some member states of the European Space Agency, Russian Federation, People's Republic of China,Japan, and India) since its creation in 1979, and thus has a negligible effect on actual spaceflight. As of 2013, it has been ratified by 15 states.[1]
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Ratification

The treaty was finalized in 1979 and entered into force for the ratifying parties in 1984. As a follow-on to the Outer Space Treaty, the Moon Treaty intended to establish a regime for the use of the Moon and other celestial bodies similar to the one established for the sea floor in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The L5 Society successfully defeated the treaty in the US Senate.[3]
As of 2013, only 15 states (Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Turkey,[4][5] and Uruguay) have ratified it.[1] France, Guatemala, India and Romania have signed but have not ratified it.[1][6]
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Outer Space Treaty

The Outer Space Treaty, formally the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, is a treaty that forms the basis of international space law. The treaty was opened for signature in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union on 27 January 1967, and entered into force on 10 October 1967. As of May 2013, 102 countries are states parties to the treaty, while another 27 have signed the treaty but have not completed ratification.[1][2]

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Space Law

Space law is an area of the law that encompasses national and international law governing activities in outer space. International lawyers have been unable to agree on a uniform definition of the term "outer space", although most lawyers agree that outer space generally begins at the lowest altitude above sea level at which objects can orbit the Earth, approximately 100 km (60 mi).
The inception of the field of space law began with the launch of the world's first artificial satellite by the Soviet Union in October 1957. Named Sputnik 1, the satellite was launched as part of the International Geophysical Year. Since that time, space law has evolved and assumed more importance as mankind has increasingly come to use and rely on space-based resources.
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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK -

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Wednesday, July 10, 2013

National park on moon proposed

William sent me a link to a recent proposal for a National park on the moon.  I have seen some recent news sound bites for it as well. I thought I would dig a little deeper and see what I could find.  I'll pass on a few links for your consideration. 
- LRK -

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http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/07/09/national-park-on-moon-proposed/?hpt=hp_t3
National park on moon proposed

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U.S. Reps. Donna Edwards of Maryland and Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas have proposed legislation that would designate artifacts at the site of American moon landings as comprising a National Historical Park, citing potential commercial traffic on the moon that could damage the areas.
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"As commercial enterprises and foreign nations acquire the ability to land on the moon it is necessary to protect the Apollo landing sites for posterity; and establishing the Historical Park under this Act will expand and enhance the protection and preservation of the Apollo lunar landing sites and provide for greater recognition and public understanding of this singular achievement in American history," the legislation reads.
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The bill specifies that only the artifacts left behind by NASA missions would be included in the park – not the lunar surface itself, which doesn't belong to the United States or any nation.
It also opens the door for corporate donations and contributions from foreign governments to maintain the proposed park.
Both Edwards and Johnson are members of the House Committee on Science and Technology.
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So I am thinking about registered Trade Marks, you have to ensure you take action to protect them if challenged. Let's see what else is available. This is just a sound bite from Fox News but does contain a link to a bit more information which has a link to the actual bill. Our local news only had sound bites as well.
- LRK -

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House Democrats propose national park on the moon
Two House Democrats are proposing that the next national park be out of this world.

Reps. Donna Edwards, D-Md., and Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, propose in the "Apollo Lunar Landing Legacy Act" that a national historical park on the moon be created to ensure the American landing sites are preserved for future generations.

The lawmakers say the legislation is necessary to protect the Apollo landing sites for "posterity," as commercial space exploration increases and more foreign nations head to space.

The Hill reports the bill would allow the federal government to accept donations to help preserve the landing sites and would create visitor services and administrative offices "within reasonable proximity to the Historical Park."


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/07/09/house-democrats-propose-creating-national-park-on-moon/#ixzz2YhvhZf3q
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The above link, copied below, is a blog for what is going on at the Hill. 
We finally get to the Bill H.R. 2617 and mention of Bill H.R. 2616.
- LRK -

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http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/309829-dems-propose-historical-park-on-the-moon#ixzz2Ya11qkok

Dems pitch national park on the moon

By Pete Kasperowicz - 07/09/13 11:45 AM ET

Two House Democrats have proposed legislation that would establish a national historical park on the surface of the moon to mark where the Apollo missions landed between 1969 and 1972.

The bill from Reps. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) and Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) would create the Apollo Lunar Landing Sites National Historical Park. The park would be comprised of all artifacts left on the surface of the moon from the Apollo 11 through 17 missions.
The bill says these sites need to be protected because of the anticipated increase in commercial moon landings in the future.

"As commercial enterprises and foreign nations acquire the ability to land on the Moon, it is necessary to protect the Apollo lunar landing sites for posterity," according to the text of the Apollo Lunar Landing Legacy Act, H.R. 2617.

Under the legislation, the park would be established no later than one year after the bill passes and would be run jointly by the Department of the Interior and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
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Edwards, the ranking member on the House Space Subcommittee, also proposed legislation on Monday to reauthorize NASA for three years. That bill, H.R. 2616, authorizes spending of $18.1 billion in 2014 for NASA, which rises to $18.9 billion in 2016.


Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/309829-dems-propose-historical-park-on-the-moon#ixzz2Yi5lovTb 
Follow us: @thehill on Twitter | TheHill on Facebook
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Direct comments as recorded in the Congressional Record for Hon. Donna F. Edwards.
- LRK -

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July 9, 2013 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD —Extensions of Remarks E1033

THE INTRODUCTION OF ‘‘THE 
APOLLO LUNAR LANDING LEGACY ACT’’ 
HON. DONNA F. EDWARDS 
OF MARYLAND
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
H.R. 2617

THE INTRODUCTION OF ‘‘THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND 
SPACE ADMINISTRATION AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2013’’ 
HON. DONNA F. EDWARDS 
OF MARYLAND
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Tuesday, July 9, 2013 
H.R. 2616
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Here is a link from Thomas Loc with larger font for the talk about "THE APOLLO LUNAR LANDING LEGACY ACT"
- LRK -

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THE INTRODUCTION OF ``THE APOLLO LUNAR LANDING LEGACY ACT'' -- (Extensions of Remarks - July 09, 2013)
[Page: E1033]  GPO's PDF

SPEECH OF
HON. DONNA F. EDWARDS
OF MARYLAND
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, JULY 9, 2013
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It has been suggested before that these Apollo sites should be conserved but I don't know how you will be able to enforce the actions. If you get a UNESCO buy in maybe the suggestion would be honored. Will have to wait and see if China respects the keep off the foot prints suggestion.

Thanks for looking up with me.  
- LRK -
 
Moon Treaty
The Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies,[2] better known as the Moon Treaty or Moon Agreement, is an international treaty that turns jurisdiction of all celestial bodies (including the orbits around such bodies) over to the international community. Thus, all activities must conform to international law (notably this includes the UN Charter).
In practice it is a failed treaty since it has not been ratified by any nation which engages in self-launched manned space exploration or has plans to do so (e.g. the United States, some member states of the European Space Agency, Russian Federation, People's Republic of China,Japan, and India) since its creation in 1979, and thus has a negligible effect on actual spaceflight. As of 2013, it has been ratified by 15 states.[1]
snip
Ratification

The treaty was finalized in 1979 and entered into force for the ratifying parties in 1984. As a follow-on to the Outer Space Treaty, the Moon Treaty intended to establish a regime for the use of the Moon and other celestial bodies similar to the one established for the sea floor in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The L5 Society successfully defeated the treaty in the US Senate.[3]
As of 2013, only 15 states (Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Turkey,[4][5] and Uruguay) have ratified it.[1] France, Guatemala, India and Romania have signed but have not ratified it.[1][6]
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============================================================== 
Outer Space Treaty

The Outer Space Treaty, formally the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, is a treaty that forms the basis of international space law. The treaty was opened for signature in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union on 27 January 1967, and entered into force on 10 October 1967. As of May 2013, 102 countries are states parties to the treaty, while another 27 have signed the treaty but have not completed ratification.[1][2]

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Space Law

Space law is an area of the law that encompasses national and international law governing activities in outer space. International lawyers have been unable to agree on a uniform definition of the term "outer space", although most lawyers agree that outer space generally begins at the lowest altitude above sea level at which objects can orbit the Earth, approximately 100 km (60 mi).
The inception of the field of space law began with the launch of the world's first artificial satellite by the Soviet Union in October 1957. Named Sputnik 1, the satellite was launched as part of the International Geophysical Year. Since that time, space law has evolved and assumed more importance as mankind has increasingly come to use and rely on space-based resources.
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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK -

==============================================================
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