Spaceship with 3-man crew docks at space station

May 29, 2014

MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian spacecraft carrying a three-man crew docked successfully at the International Space Station on Thursday following a flawless launch.

The Soyuz craft, carrying NASA's Reid Wiseman, Russian cosmonaut Max Surayev and German Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency arrived at the station at 5:44 a.m. (0144 GMT). They lifted off just less than six hours earlier from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

The Mission Control in Moscow congratulated the trio on a successful docking. They are joining two Russians and an American who have been at the station since March. The Russian and U.S. space agencies have continued to cooperate despite friction between the two countries over Ukraine. NASA depends on the Russian spacecraft to ferry crews to the space station and pays Russia nearly $71 million per seat.

Until last year, Russian spacecraft used to travel two days to reach the station, and this will be only the fifth time that a crew has taken the six-hour "fast-track" route. After the previous launch, in March, the crew ended up taking the longer route because of a software glitch.

NASA wants greenhouse on Mars by 2021

Moscow (Voice of Russia)
May 12, 2014

NASA researchers have proposed depositing a small greenhouse on Mars when the next rover bound for the Red Planet is expected to land in 2021. Experimenting with plant life is another step in the process of establishing human colonization of Mars.

The Mars Plant Experiment (MPX) would be a self-contained project, NASA scientists say, closed off from the atmosphere on Mars as to not allow any possibility that the plant life could escape.

"In order to do a long-term, sustainable base on Mars, you would want to be able to establish that plants can at least grow on Mars," MPX deputy principal investigator Heather Smith, of NASA's Ames Research Center, said in late April at the Humans 2 Mars conference in Washington, DC. "This would be the first step in that...we just send the seeds there and watch them grow."

MPX would affix a clear "CubeSat" box - a case for a small satellite - on the outside of the rover, set to launch in 2020. The box would contain Earth air and around 200 seeds of Arabidopsis, a small flowering plant commonly used in scientific studies.

The seeds would be watered upon the rover's arrival on Mars. Then they would have about two weeks to grow.

"In 15 days, we'll have a little greenhouse on Mars," Smith said.

MPX would be a test-run for organisms on Mars amid the planet's high radiation levels and low gravity - about 40 percent of that on Earth, she said.

"We would go from this simple experiment to the greenhouses on Mars for a sustainable base," Smith said. "That would be the goal."

While long-range research is the top goal, the temporary greenhouse life would provide a first for humanity's space efforts.

"It also would be the first multicellular organism to grow, live and die on another planet," Smith said.

The 2020 rover is based on NASA's previous Curiosity rover, which proved not long after its August 2012 landing that the Red Planet is capable of supporting microbial life.

The 2020 rover will search for past life on Mars while it collects rock and soil samples to bring back to Earth. After receiving 58 proposals for what instruments the rover should carry for the mission, NASA will make its final hardware selection by June, NASA officials have said. Curiosity carries 10 instruments, and the 2020 rover will likely have about the same amount.

Source: Mars Daily.
Link: http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/NASA_wants_greenhouse_on_Mars_by_2021_999.html.

Russia to begin Moon colonization in 2030

Moscow (Voice of Russia)
May 12, 2014

Russia will start colonizing the Moon in 2030, Izvestia daily reported on Thursday. The daily has received a draft concept of Russian lunar program developed by enterprises of the Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), a Russian Academy of Sciences institute and Moscow State University.

Notably, the draft concept envisages "creation of a lunar testing ground and a base for extraction of natural resources," the daily reported.

Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said in an article published in Rossiiskaya Gazeta daily on April 11 that Russia's strategic goals in space exploration were linked to a broader presence on low Earth orbits, colonization of the Moon and launching exploration of Mars and other objects of the Solar System.

"Authors of the project do not rule out attracting private investors to lunar projects", and "first expeditions with cosmonauts' landing to create a permanent lunar base are planned in 2030," the daily reported.

It is needed to explore the Moon dynamically, the project authors recommended, because "leading space powers will explore and assign for themselves lunar territories suitable to provide future opportunities of practical use in the next 20-30 years."

"The Moon is a first step on the way to the deep space," chief scientific fellow of the Institute of Space Policy Ivan Moiseyev said. "Therefore, it is reasonable to use the Moon as a promising spaceport," he added. "As for extraction of mineral resources on the Moon, it is senseless to deliver them to the Earth, because even if diamonds are found there, it will be unprofitable to bring them here all the same," Moiseyev believes.

"But in any case it is possible to start with oxygen generation, as it exists on the Moon in many chemical compounds," the scientist noted.

Such large-scale projects as colonization of the Moon or Mars would hardly be funded from the state budget, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Cosmonautics Andrei Ionin said.

"Planet exploration by people will be a prerogative of private companies," Ionin said.

"There are already many such projects now that envisage Mars colonization, production of mineral resources on asteroids and similar initiatives. It is difficult to imagine that some government will be prepared to spend trillions for creation of lunar bases, because they have a good deal of other, more vital tasks, including medicine, education, army," he added.

Roscosmos explained that initiatives in the federal space program would pass a comprehensive expertise at the level of experts and scientists of several industries, and after that the program would be submitted to the government, the daily reported.

Source: Moon Daily.
Link: http://www.moondaily.com/reports/Russia_to_begin_Moon_colonization_in_2030_999.html.

Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan set up new alliance

May 29, 2014

MOSCOW (AP) — The leaders of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan on Thursday created an economic union that intends to boost cooperation between the ex-Soviet neighbors, a pact which was at the source of the crisis in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Eurasian Economic Union — which Moscow had pushed Ukraine to join, helping spark the worst crisis in relations between Russia and the West since the Cold War — takes the countries' cooperation to a "new level" while respecting their sovereignty.

"We are creating a powerful and attractive center of economic development, a major regional market bringing together over 170 million people," Putin said during talks in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana. He added that the pact would allow the countries to exploit their economic potential and strengthen their positions in global markets.

With a combined annual economic output of $2.2 trillion a year, the alliance's economic size would be close to that of Britain and well below that of the U.S.'s $17 trillion. The union is the development of the existing Customs Union including the same nations. In addition to free trade, it coordinates the members' financial systems and regulates industrial and agricultural policies along with their labor markets and transport systems. The deal stops short of introducing a single currency and delays the creation of a common energy market.

The signing followed years of tense negotiations, and many differences have remained. Moscow will host the top executive body of the new alliance. Its high court will be based in Belarus, and the top financial regulator will be located in Kazakhstan.

Belarus' authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has depended on cheap Russian energy and other subsidies to keep his nation's Soviet-style economy afloat, said before the signing he wasn't fully happy with the deal, but hailed it reflected a mutually acceptable compromise.

Kazakhstan, led by autocratic President Nursultan Nazarbayev, is the second largest country by territory and economy among the ex-Soviet nations. Nazarbayev has maneuvered between Russia and the West during more than two decades in power. But Russia has little leverage over Kazakhstan, whose energy riches and booming economy make it an equal partner.

Nazarbayev said the new pact is based on consensus and well-balanced. He voiced hope that the new alliance "will become a powerful incentive for modernizing our economies and helping making them global leaders."

Armenian President Serge Sarkisian said his nation will be ready to join the union as early as next month after completing final preparations. Kyrgyzstan said it hopes to join the Customs Union, the precursor to the new alliance, before the year's end.

Russia tried to have Ukraine join the integration project and spike an association agreement with the European Union. But Ukraine's pro-Russia president, who spurned the deal with the EU in favor of closer ties with Moscow, was chased from power in February following months of protests. Russia then annexed Ukraine's Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, and a pro-Russia mutiny has engulfed eastern Ukraine, where rebels have seized government buildings and fought government troops.

The United States and the EU have responded to the Russian annexation of Crimea by slashing travel bans and asset freezes on members of Putin's entourage, and threatened to introduce further sanctions if Russia further tries to destabilize Ukraine.

Petro Poroshenko, a billionaire candy magnate who won Ukraine's presidential election on Sunday, vowed to integrate more closely into Europe. Ukraine's foreign minister told journalists Thursday that the country hopes to meet with EU officials before June 27 to determine when Ukraine would be able to sign an association agreement with the 28-member bloc.

In Astana, Lukashenko, known for his blunt statements, said that "sooner or later the Ukrainian leadership will understand where the nation's happiness lies." Moscow's annexation of Crimea, which it explained by the need to protect ethnic Russians, has spooked many of its neighbors, including Kazakhstan, which has a significant Russian minority.

The Kremlin has sought to assuage such fears, and Lukashenko used Russia's desire to sign the pact to bargain for some last-minute economic advantages. Russia has agreed to allow Belarus to keep a greater share of revenues from selling oil products made from Russian crude, a deal that would add $1.5 billion to Belorussian state coffers this year.

India's new PM meets leader of rival Pakistan

May 27, 2014

NEW DELHI (AP) — New Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the leaders of rival Pakistan and other neighboring nations on Tuesday, a day after being sworn in.

Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif smiled warmly as they posed for photographs ahead of their nearly hourlong meeting. No details were immediately released about their discussion. Modi was expected to ask Pakistan to hasten its investigation into the 2008 terror attack on Mumbai, India's financial hub, in which Pakistani militants killed 166 people, and put its perpetrators on trial.

He was also likely to urge Pakistan to take action against Islamic militant groups operating out of Pakistani territory to prevent further attacks on India. The future of Kashmir, the disputed Himalayan territory over which they have fought two of their three wars, was another likely topic.

Analysts say Sharif's visit to attend Modi's inauguration could signal an easing of tensions between the often-hostile, nuclear-armed neighbors. Modi also held brief meetings with the leaders of Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Afghanistan, Mauritius and Maldives, who also attended his inauguration Monday. He was to meet with the speaker of Bangladesh's Parliament later Tuesday.

On Monday, Afghan President Hamid Karzai told an Indian television channel that the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba was behind last Friday's attack on an Indian consulate in western Afghanistan. Gunmen armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades attacked the building in Herat, but the diplomatic staff escaped unharmed.

Karzai said he received the information from "a western intelligence agency." Lashkar-e-Taiba was also blamed for the Mumbai attack. On Tuesday, a man who identified himself as a Lashkar-e-Taiba spokesman named Abdullah Ghaznavi denied that the group was responsible for the consulate attack.

"We have nothing to do with any attack in Afghanistan," he told The Associated Press. Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party won a solid majority in the 543-member lower house of Parliament, enabling him to set priorities without being constrained by coalition partners.

Modi has picked 45 Cabinet ministers, who were sworn in alongside him. Former BJP President Rajnath Singh was named home minister, former opposition leader Sushma Swaraj is the new foreign minister, and BJP spokesman Arun Jaitley will head the ministries of finance and defense.

Modi becomes Indian PM as Pakistani leader watches

May 26, 2014

NEW DELHI (AP) — Narendra Modi took the oath of office as India's new prime minister at the sprawling presidential palace on Monday, a moment made more historic by the presence of the leader of archrival Pakistan.

Modi's inauguration is the first to which India invited leaders from across South Asia. Heads of government from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Maldives, Nepal and Afghanistan attended, and Bangladesh was represented by the speaker of its Parliament.

But most eyes remained on Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, whose visit could signal a thaw in relations between the often hostile neighbors. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee administered the oath to Modi and his Cabinet as thousands of guests, including politicians, business leaders and movie stars, watched. Outgoing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was seated next to Sharif.

Analysts said Sharif's presence signaled an easing of tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors. Pakistan and India have fought three wars since their independence from Britain in 1947. Modi and Sharif are to hold formal talks on Tuesday.

Sharif called his visit "a chance to reach out to each other" and "a great opportunity," in an interview with NDTV news channel. "Both governments have a strong mandate. This could help in turning a new page in our relations," he added.

Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party won 282 seats in the 543-member lower house of Parliament, well ahead of the 272 it needed for a majority. Analysts say that gives Modi a free hand in choosing his priorities without being constrained by coalition partners.

Modi promised during the campaign that his goals would be good governance, job creation and fighting corruption, a message that struck a chord with voters. Economic growth has plummeted in the past few years as inflation has risen and exports have declined. The former Congress party-run government became paralyzed by corruption scandals, internal feuding and an inability to deal with the stumbling economy and deep-rooted problems with poverty, infrastructure and education.

In an early indication that he plans to streamline the government, Modi's office said several ministries, especially those dealing with infrastructure, will be combined to make them more efficient and reduce red tape.

Minutes after Modi was sworn in, he posted a message on his official website saying that along with the people of India and the world his government would work to "script a glorious future for India."

"Let us together dream of a strong, developed and inclusive India that actively engages with the global community to strengthen the cause of world peace and development," he said. Neelam Deo, the director of Gateway House, a foreign policy think tank in Mumbai, said Sharif's presence at the inauguration "provides an opportunity to commence relations on an encouraging note."

"It also provides an occasion for Prime Minister Modi to lay down India's concerns, particularly on the topic of border security and terrorism," said Deo, a former Indian diplomat. Relations between Pakistan and India froze after a 2008 attack on Mumbai, India's financial hub, in which Pakistani militants killed 166 people.

Modi is likely to insist Tuesday that Pakistan expedite investigations into the Mumbai attack and put its perpetrators on trial. He is also likely to demand that Pakistan take action against Islamic militant groups operating out of Pakistan to prevent further attacks on India. Other major problems relate to the future of Kashmir, the disputed Himalayan territory over which they have fought two of their three wars.

Huge billboards with Modi's picture stood outside the BJP's office in New Delhi on Monday. Enthusiastic supporters, waving the party's saffron-and-green flag, shouted slogans hailing the new prime minister.

"It's an occasion for celebration for the people of the entire country who have such high expectations from the new leader," said Anupam Kher, a Bollywood actor and longtime supporter of the BJP. Security was tight for the ceremony, with more than 7,000 police deployed near the presidential palace, said Mukesh Meena, a police commissioner in New Delhi.

The presidential palace was once the residence of India's British viceroy under colonial rule. Sharpshooters were positioned on the roofs of nearby government office buildings, and security guards in plainclothes were posted at key places, police said. Roads leading to the palace in the heart of the city were closed to traffic five hours before the ceremony as a security measure, Meena said.

Agua Caliente Solar Project is the largest in the world

by Brooks Hays
Phoenix (UPI)
May 9, 2014

The Agua Caliente Solar Project, which was completed last week, is now operational and poised to start churning out power. Once it does, it will officially be the largest working solar panel array in the world.

The plant, which includes more than 5 million solar panels, is expected to pump out 290 megawatts of electricity. Situated in the Arizona desert between the cities of Yuma and Pheonix, the array is twice the size of Central Park. At full capacity, the new plant will be able to power 230,000 houses.

"Solar has completely arrived as a competitive energy resource," Peter Davidson, executive director of the Loan Programs Office at the Energy Department -- which helped finance the project -- recently told Scientific American.

Upon completion at the end of April, Tom Doyle -- president of NRG Solar, the company that owns the new plant -- said Agua Caliente will "raise the bar in terms of our clean-energy technology and production."

The panels that make up the new solar array are more efficient than older ones, as they use thin-film photovoltaic cells instead of silicone. The thin-film cells are cheaper to make; they are also lighter, more flexible, more durable, and more efficient at absorbing the suns rays.

Although solar power only accounts for one percent of U.S. energy production, it is the fastest-growing energy sector. Many energy and environmental policy makers hope that its continued growth can help curb escalating CO2 emissions and beat back the rise of global temperatures.

Source: Solar Daily.
Link: http://www.solardaily.com/reports/Agua_Caliente_Solar_Project_is_the_largest_in_the_world_999.html.