Andy S Hastings

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Andy Hastings is a PhD student living in Melbourne, Australia. Andy has strong views on many things.

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2010 (10)
 

STS-130 crew depart ISS, Tranquility and cupola comissioned flawlessly

67583681

Via Soichi Noguchi (In this picture: Top left: Tranquility and cupola (window shutters closed). Top right: Unity, Destiny and Harmony modules. Middle: the robotic 'Canadarm 2' foreground and the Japanese Kibo module background. Endeavour is seen doing a fly-around of the station)


The crew of STS-130, flying space shuttle Endeavour to the International Space Station, have nearly completed their mission to install the last major module of the orbiting outpost.

The Tranquility node, named for the landing site of Apollo 11, with it's bay window cupola was dedicated on 19th February. (Some very beautiful photos from @astro_soichi)

With the station now practically completed, and the permanent crew up to 6 people, we will start to see a lot more research and results coming down from up there. Keep an eye out!

The crew of Endeavour will attempt to de-orbit and land at Kennedy Space Centre at 2:00 PM AEDST on the 21st February. As always, you can tune in via NASA TV

Endeavour has one more flight scheduled later this year, with two more from Discovery and one from Atlantis before the retirement of the Shuttle (you can buy one if you have some spare cash).

Mmm, that was a link-laden post. Thanks, NASA.

Filed under  //  iss   nasa   space   sts130  
Posted
 

Tranquility installed today

Endeavor-tranquility_sts130

Via NASA.

The first spacewalk to install the Tranquility node and cupola to the ISS is today, beginning at 1:00 PM AEDT. It goes for six and half hours, so plenty of time to check it out at NASA TV. The next two spacewalks can be seen on 14 and 17/02 at the same time.

Filed under  //  nasa sts130 space  
Posted
 

Rudd Labor Government introduces electoral reform bill

Anthony Byrne, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, introduced (PDF) the Rudd Labor Government's electoral reform bill today.

The most interesting schedules of the bill will (from Byrne's second reading speach, above):

  • restore the close of rolls period to seven days after the issue of the writ for an election;
  • repeal the requirement for provisional voters to provide evidence of identity;
  • modernise enrolment processes to enable electors to update their enrolment details electronically;.

Finally. I was wondering when the government was going to get around to this.

Filed under  //  democracy   parliament   rudd  
Posted
 

Awesome special effects?

Media_httpwwwnasagovi_bylnn
via nasa.gov

Nope, just space shuttle Endeavour.

Crazy.

Filed under  //  nasa   sts130  
Posted
 

Bill Mitchell takes Barnaby to task for his outrageous economic illiteracy

I described Barnaby Joyce's terrible errors in macroeconomics earlier.

Now Bill Mitchell, Professor of Economics at the Newcastle University attempts to re-educate the shadow finance minister.

Good reading.

Filed under  //  barnaby   economics   qt  
Posted
 

STS-130 underway as Endeavour chases the ISS. Three spacewalks to install Tranquility node and cupola.

Sts-30_nasa

Via NASA

Space Shuttle Endeavour roared into the sky last night, illuminating Kennedy Space Centre like the midday sun. It was the best launch I have ever seen.

The astronauts on STS-130 are currently scanning the thermal protection system on the underside of Endeavour and will tomorrow rendezvous and dock with the International Space Station.

There are three spacewalks scheduled to install the final large component of the ISS; Tranquility node and the cupola. You can watch them live through NASA TV from 1:00-7:40 PM AEDT on the 12/02, 14/02 and 17/02. They each go for 6 and a half hours, so plenty of time to see some beautiful views of Earth while the astronauts finish construction of the ISS.

Filed under  //  #ISS   #NASA   #Space  
Posted
 

Barnaby joyce shows fundamental misunderstanding of macroeconomics, again

Barnaby_abc

Via ABC

Barnaby Joyce, the Shadow Finance Minister, today reminds us once again that he has no understanding of fundamental macroeconomics.

"We're going into hock to our eyeballs to people overseas," he said.

This is just rediculous. The Australian Government must spend AUDs before it can borrow them back. No-one overseas can issue AUDs. We will never be in a position to default on our debts, unless it is desired politically.

When we're talking about buying unutilised economic resources within Australia in AUD, such as the recent stimulus packages which have kept us out of recession and the national broadband network, there is no risk associated with deficit spending or borrowing.

To suggest such just illustrates the absolute ignorance of the Coalition's finance spokesperson. It terrifies me to imagine this man anywhere near our treasury.

Filed under  //  barnaby   economics   qt  
Posted
 

Space Shuttle Endeavour launches tonight (hopefully!)

While the launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour was scrubbed last night due to low cloud over the Kennedy Space Centre, the launch has been rescheduled for 8:14 PM AEDT tonight.

This is the last scheduled night launch of any space shuttle by NASA; it is something you definitely don't want to miss.

Tune in to NASA TV by at latest 8:00 tonight for live coverage.

UPDATE:

We are go for launch! Go Endeavour!

Filed under  //  iss   nasa   space  
Posted
 

Space Shuttle Endeavour launches tonight

Tonight is one of five remaining launches of NASA's space shuttles before their permanent retirement later this year. STS-130 is Endeavour's second last flight and effectively the last major construction flight to the Internation Space Station, carrying the Tranquility Node and robotics Cupola.

Set to blast off at 8:39 PM AEDST tonight, you can see the early morning (Florida time) launch streamed live through NASA TV.

There's nothing quite like a night launch, and as one of your last chances to see this particular spectale (in prime-time, no less!) I strongly advise tuning in.

UPDATE:

With an 80% chance of favorable weather, it is highly unlikely for this launch to be postponed, so don't miss out!

UPDATE 2:

We're now looking at only a 30% chance of favorable weather, due to low cloud, so fingers crossed.

UPDATE 3:

Launch scrubbed for tonight due to cloud ceiling constraints. Next launch window should be about the same time tomorrow night. Damn!

Filed under  //  iss   nasa  
Posted
 

St Ali Yarra Place project

Went to the St Ali Yarra Place project today. Awesome.

Great food, great drinks (beer and coffee), great beats and live street art mural painting.

Check it out.

Filed under  //  stalilaneway  
Posted