segunda-feira, 22 de novembro de 2010

'Eavesdropper' satellite rides huge rocket from Florida, BBC NEWS

The US National Reconnaissance Office has launched what is reputed to be the largest satellite ever sent into space.

The spacecraft was put into orbit on a Delta-4 Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force station on Sunday.

The NRO gave no details about the payload but it is understood the satellite will be used to eavesdrop on enemy communications.

For comparison, the largest commercial satellite ever launched was the seven-tonne Terrestar-1 telecoms spacecraft.

It had an 18m antenna-reflector to relay phone and data traffic.

US websites have speculated that the mesh antenna on the new NROL-32 satellite would exceed this, and could even be substantially bigger than the 22m-diamater structure orbited last week on another commercial platform called Skyterra-1.

The Delta-4 Heavy rocket, the largest unmanned American launch vehicle, lifted off at 1758 local time (2258 GMT).

It is only the fourth time the giant booster has flown since its maiden outing in 2004.

The rocket features three core boosters strapped side by side. Each has a Rocketdyne-built RS-68 engine, which burns a tonne of propellant every second and produces 2,900 kiloNewtons (650,000lbs force) of thrust at lift-off.

The Apollo Moon rockets, by comparison, could produce more than three times the thrust of the Delta.

The Delta-4 heavy can put up to 13 tonnes in a geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). It does not operate in the commercial market.

Os cumprimentos pelo mundo fora - JN

Os cumprimentos pelo mundo fora - JN

sábado, 20 de novembro de 2010

The highest price for one photo, El Pais


Richard Avedon bate su propio récord
La fotografía 'Dovima con los elefantes' se vende por 841.000 euros en una subasta

terça-feira, 16 de novembro de 2010

The Animators of Life, New York Times, 17 Nov. 2010

Sociedade e Saúde, JN, 17 NOV. 2010

Analgésicos afectam testículos de fetos
Tomar aspirinas, paracetamol ou ibuprofeno durante a gravidez prejudica a saúde de bebés do sexo masculino e a sua futura capacidade reprodutiva, concluiu um estudo recente.

quarta-feira, 3 de novembro de 2010

Moving Holograms: From Science Fiction to Reality, Science Daily

ScienceDaily (Nov. 3, 2010) — A new type of holographic telepresence allows the projection of a three-dimensional, moving image without the need for special eyewear such as 3D glasses or other auxiliary devices.

...do outro mundo - JN

...do outro mundo - JN