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.