April 2009 Science Archive

National Voice Gazette
stars

Custom Search

Space Shuttle Discovery
_{Discovery Lift off 3/15/09 at 7:47 P.M. EDT as seen near I-75, Punta Gorda, Florida}

NASA's Shuttle Discovery Glides Home After Successful Mission

Discovery Lands

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Discovery and its crew landed at 3:14 p.m. EDT Saturday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, completing a 13-day journey of more than 5.3 million miles.

The STS-119 flight delivered the space station's fourth and final set of solar array wings, completing the station's truss, or backbone. The additional electricity provided by the arrays will fully power science experiments and help support station operations.

During three spacewalks, astronauts installed the S6 truss segment to the starboard, or right, side of the station and accomplished important tasks to prepare the station for future upgrades and additions later this year.

The flight also replaced a failed unit for a system that converts urine to potable water. Samples from the station's Water Recovery System will be analyzed. It's expected to take about a month for the analysis to be completed and the water to be cleared for the station crew to drink.

STS-119 spacewalkers were unable to deploy a jammed external cargo carrier on the Port 3 truss segment. It was tied safely in place. Because the issue is not yet understood, Mission Control cancelled the installation of a similar payload attachment system on the starboard side. Engineers are evaluating the problem and will address it during a future spacewalk.

On March 24, the 10 shuttle and station crew members gathered in the station's Harmony module and spoke to President Barack Obama, members of Congress and school children from the Washington, D.C. area. From the White House's Roosevelt Room, the president and his guests congratulated the crew on the mission and asked about a range of topics including sleeping in weightlessness to the station's travelling speed.

Lee Archambault commanded the flight and was joined by Pilot Tony Antonelli and Mission Specialists Joseph Acaba, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold, John Phillips and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata. Wakata remained aboard the station, replacing Flight Engineer Sandra Magnus, who returned to Earth on Discovery after more than four months on the station.

Acaba and Arnold are former science teachers who are now fully-trained NASA astronauts. They made their first journey into orbit and conducted critical spacewalking tasks on this flight. STS-119 was the 125th space shuttle mission, the 36th flight for Discovery and the 28th shuttle visit to the station.

With Discovery and its crew safely home, the stage is set for the launch of STS-125, targeted for May 12. Atlantis' mission will return the space shuttle to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope for one last visit before the shuttle fleet retires in 2010. Over 11 days, and five spacewalks, Atlantis' crew will upgrade the telescope, preparing it for at least another five years of research.

.......................

Sunday - Two explosive eruptions of Redoubt volcano occurred at approximately 19:23 AKDT (03:23 UTC)and 15:29 AKDT (23:29 UTC). NWS reports a radar cloud top above 45,000 ft above sea level.

Redoubt Map

Mount Redoubt Volcano in Alaska Erupts Explosively More Than 10 Times This Week

Mount Redoubt Volcano, 106 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska, erupted explosively more than 10 times this week, sending ash skyrocketing as high as 65,000 feet into the air.

The eruption of Redoubt poses a threat to national and international aviation as volcanic ash is sent into the busy North Pacific flight paths between North America and Asia. Ash fall has also been reported in towns and cities around Cook Inlet, including a trace in Anchorage. Volcanic activity is expected to continue for days to months.

Scientists from the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) issued daily public warnings of an impending eruption beginning January 23 after recording increased seismic activity at the volcano. They continue to monitor events round-the-clock, working with colleagues at the National Weather Service and Federal Aviation Administration to minimize social and economic disruption caused by the eruption.

Mount Redoubt Volcano has been assessed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as one of the nation’s highest-threat volcanoes. USGS is working to place monitoring equipment on all volcanoes that pose the greatest threats to public safety. In 2005, USGS issued a nationwide assessment of volcano-monitoring capabilities of dozens of other U.S. volcanoes where monitoring infrastructure should be improved so that scientists have the tools they need to make the best possible hazard analysis for the public.

Redoubt last erupted explosively nearly 20 years ago, sending ash plumes 40,000 feet into the air and causing engine failure in a 747 jet, which eventually landed safely.

Previously

Mount Redoubt Volcano, 106 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska, erupted explosively March 22, 2009, at approximately 10:38 PM AKDT, sending a cloud of volcanic ash to an estimated 50,000 feet above sea level, including one Monday evening at 7:41 PM AKDT.

Scientists from the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) are monitoring the volcano closely as the eruption continues.

Redoubt Volcano 1

Beginning Sunday March 22, 2009 at approximately 22:38 AKDT, Redoubt Volcano produced a series of six explosive eruptions that each lasted from four to thirty minutes. The last one ended at 5:00 AM AKDT this morning (March 23). National Weather Service radar, pilot reports, and AVO analysis of satellite imagery suggest that these events produced ash clouds that reached 60,000 ft above sea level (asl), with the bulk of the ash volume between 25 - 30,000 ft asl. Traces of ash fall have been reported in Skwentna, Talkeetna, Wasilla, and Trapper Creek.

Sunday's explosive eruptions caused melting of the Drift glacier and greatly increased discharge down the Drift River. AVO plans a helicopter overflight to the area today to assess conditions at the volcano and along the Drift River. The explosions also destroyed one seismic station near the volcano's summit (RSO), and disrupted telemetry from AVO's obsveration hut. This telemetry outage affects the web camera, a continuous GPS station, and two broadband seismic stations. Repairs to this data link will be undertaken as conditions permit. Seven telemetered seismic stations surrounding Redoubt remain in operation.

Redoubt Volcano 2

The eruptions were preceded by approximately 60 hours of elevated seismicity in the form of discrete earthquakes under the volcano. AVO raised the Aviation Color Code/Alert Level from YELLOW/ADVISORY to ORANGE/WATCH on Saturday, March 21 at 22:09 AKDT. This increase in seismicity likely reflected the upward movement of magma towards the surface. Prior to this weekend, Redoubt had exhibited signs of volcanic unrest beginning in the Fall of 2008 which then escalated in late January, 2009. Last night's explosions were the first significant ash-producing eruptions of the unrest.

Further explosive activity could occur with little or no warning, and could occur intermittently for weeks or months. AVO remains staffed 24 hours per day will issue further information as it becomes available.

Redoubt Volcano 5

Crocodile

American Crocodile, Crocodylus acutus

National Park Service Photo by Rodney Cammauf

Did You Know?

Everglades National Park was established in 1947 to preserve the biological features and essential primitive conditions of the subtropical Everglades of Florida.

It is the largest U.S. national park east of the Rocky Mountains. It is also recognized as the most threatened, due primarily to hydrological developments that have disrupted water flow with serious ecological consequences.

The Park receives more than a million visitors annually, and contributes $120 million each year to the local economy through tourism revenue.

The outstanding significance of the Park is recognized by the international community through its designation as a World Heritage Site, a Wetland of International Significance, and a Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO.

Approximately 25% of the Park's visitors are international travelers.

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jasper Wireless announced today that it has been chosen by TomTom to enable cellular connectivity for its GO 740 LIVE portable navigation device.

GE Energy, Invenergy Team up to Deliver One of the First U.S. Wind Projects Expected to Be Developed with Federal Stimulus Funds

Milestone Project to Help Move the U.S. Wind Industry Forward

SCHENECTADY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Signaling a positive note for the U.S. wind industry, one of the first wind energy projects expected to benefit from President Obama’s stimulus plan is being developed by Invenergy Wind in LaSalle County, Ill. GE Energy will supply 74 of its 1.5-megawatt (MW) wind turbines to begin the expansion of the Grand Ridge Energy Center, which, when completed, will increase the country’s wind power capacity by over 110 megawatts, enough clean energy for 30,000 U.S. households.

February Chip Sales Declined Year on Year, Month on Month

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-

April 03, 2009 06:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time-Worldwide sales of semiconductors were $14.2 billion in February, a decline of 30.4 percent compared to February 2008 sales of $20.3 billion, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reported today. Sales declined by 7.6 percent from January when sales were $15.3 billion.

“The global semiconductor industry is going through one of the steepest corrections in its history,” said SIA President George Scalise. “While it would be premature to conclude that the sales decline has hit bottom, there are some indications that the rate of decline has moderated from the final quarter of 2008.

The industry responded quickly to the changing market environment by curtailing production and reducing inventory as demand slowed in late 2008. The world’s two largest foundry manufacturers have recently reported slight improvements in factory utilization rates, albeit at levels well below those of a year ago,” Scalise continued.

“Demand for semiconductors is likely to continue well below 2008 levels for the next few quarters, with a gradual recovery to follow as the global economy recovers,” Scalise concluded.

New App Vaults into the Top Ten Free Apps After Just One Week

DIRECTV DVR Scheduler for iPhone™ and iPod® Touch Downloaded over 100,000 Times in First Four Days of Availability on Apple App Store

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-April 07, 2009 05:12 PM Eastern Daylight Time-DIRECTV today announced its DVR Scheduler App has been downloaded over 100,000 times since its launch on March 30, 2009 and has vaulted into the top ten free apps in the Apple App Store after just one week. The new app allows customers to tap the DIRECTV icon on their iPhone™ or iPod® touch to begin remotely scheduling and recording DIRECTV programming on their home DVR – wherever they are.

The new app combines the innovative Multi-Touch user interface of iPhone and iPod touch with an improved search function that enables users to quickly browse the entire programming guide by channel or date and time and schedule programs up to 14 days in advance. A keyword search option also lets the viewer search DIRECTV shows by actor, title, and description and the guide can be customized for easier viewing and program selection. Once a program is located, viewers have detailed information like air date, duration, and description at their fingertips. The most popular shows will display a colorful graphic that can be tapped to view more images of the cast. DIRECTV customers can then easily set a remote recording with additional options and settings, and simply touch to record.