Down to business, up with Trouble!

As I was saying earlier I am back with some rants about the benefits of current NASA undertakings in the short term, as well as a bit on Hanson Robotics and basically some general updates from the world of Artificial intelligence.

NASA has a lot going for it that seems to culminate in 2015-2016 which have started progress towards their goals already, or are in early development. I will round the bases with a few of the more stunning projects being undertaken by the American public works space program... which I suppose becomes the accurate description in this day and age of private technological power and corporate right. (not that I really like *both* of those that well at all...) Getting to the point check-out the following.

Juno A five year mission to Jupiter which will perform 32 close orbits of the planet monitoring below the thick upper atmosphere for chemical composition, as well as magnetic and gravitational field readings to determine the answers to certain questions about the deep structure of Jupiter and the evolution of planets in general. The mission launches in August 2011 and will reach it's destination in 2016. (my money is on the close orbit Jupiter mass exo-planets we find with our planet hunter missions. of one nature or another. being an early stage instead of late stage planet. I'd explain but I digress.)

The Excitingly named Mars Science Laboratory, or 'Curiosity'. Whatever name you want to call it by, it comes with a pack of instruments what would put batman to shame... were batman a robot on mars that is. The Mars Science Laboratory is exactly what it sounds like. Capable of performing tests on particle intake from atmospheric and geological sources, as well as monitoring for radiation and performing advanced spectrometry. Scheduled for launch in the summer of 2011, you can currently watch the crew prepare and previously build the exploratory vehicle live online at NASA.

Finally however, the most exciting news for me. The James Webb Space Telescope, which I know I've mentioned before. This is to me, ample reason to be excited for the year 2016 as far as new data is concerned. The James Webb Space telescope will be able to accurately measure chemical data from the atmospheres of exo-planets hundreds of light-years from earth. Coupled (once again) with the explosion of exoplanet data from the Kepler missions.
will give us for the very first time in human history a way to accurately examine our galactic neighborhood on a significant scale within the range of feasible communication and future ability to transport.

All of this in short is why I can't wait for 2016. Of course like I promised a bit on Hanson Robotics... that bit is to say I'm sure I'll get on here later tonight. Maybe tomorrow. But expect it.

Random update about something

Dear Internet, I have no idea what I am about to say. So bear with me. ... I bet that's bare with me... I'd better leave the question rather than finding an answer the readers will think I knew both. Even those who know a lie will think I was correct Muwahahahahaha!

However, I'd like to give you notice of the fact that I now have a phone friendly version of my blog running in a neat all white alternative. I thought it was pretty Ok. So I was thinking, about fringe science and future thoughts. and other than recommending that you check out Ray Kurzweil's 2009 documentary about his life and it's relation to his idea of the technological singularity concept. Transcendent Man(which is on Netflix, which by the way I linked to I couldn't find anything on the legality of that I'll let time heal that wound. I'm really enjoying this spontaneity concept... it has more potential for adventure. In it's ways.) Something I would like to spend some of my time and well earned frustration on is ranting about common held scientifically inaccurate beliefs which help fuel some well structured philosophical houses of cards. The problem I find with philosophy, is that it ignores what of the world is accessible to define the inaccessible. The Polymaths are long dead, and the thinkers have divided into schools of thought which do not act cohesively or together. You cannot understand the world, if you devote your life to the understanding of only one concept. It would be better to be a well versed fool, than a genius in an era that does not need your understanding. I don't mean to advertise that I personally agree with 100% of myself to what Ray Kurzweil says... however I think that that his ideas on the philosophy of invention are very common sense, you have to stick your neck out to get your head chopped off in the first place kind of stuff. About the pros of risking losing one's head I suppose. Rather than the more obvious cons. Of-course I mean this all metaphorically. Jaque Fresco, Nikolai Tesla, Tycho Brahe, Nicholas Copernicus, Giordano Bruno, Galliei Galileo, Johanes Kepler these people thought about the future. They didn't concern themselves with the limitations of the present, the present is the consequences for the past, the future is the consequences of the present, so when we manipulate the present we should do so in the mindfulness of the future, not the in knee-jerk reaction to the past. But that is my rant about dead scientists. to some extent, but only mostly dead. However. It's too damn hot, My SNES is now in full repair so it and a high velocity fan keep me busy a lot these days. 'Illusions of Gaia' all the way.

I'll get back to ranting here later tonight hopefully. I'd like to spend a little time catching up on what Hanson Robotics has been up too. As well as visit a bit on What Nasa will be doing in the short term that might be exciting.

Until I do however, I suppose I won't have yet.