This week in space & tech - linkdump; AND SPACE JOBS IN AUSTRALIA WOO!!

Personal updates:
Read Scrum & XP from the trenches - nice practical examples in a 'book'.
Read it as study for my exam - I can see CIG has implemented the manual acceptance testing as the PTU with testers not part of the team =)


http://www.space.com/28110-christmas-in-space-astronauts-celebrate.html

http://www.space.com/28117-james-webb-space-telescope-assembly-practice.html
-prototyping implementation in practice

http://aviationweek.com/blog/list-long-your-arm

http://aviationweek.com/commercial-aviation/missing-aircraft-flight-tracking-data-streaming-back-agenda

http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-ceres-dawn-nasa-spacecraft-dwarf-planet-asteroid-20141230-story.html

http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/30/7470743/nasa-mars-opportunity-memory-loss

http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/30/7424343/nasa-kepler-telescope-rescue-mission-search-for-planets

https://www.deutschland.de/en/news/theory-of-relativity-under-test

http://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/1671257/motion-detector-could-help-discover-microscopic-life-forms-distant

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20150101000065&cid=1204&MainCatID=12

http://www.engadget.com/2014/12/31/tesla-hints-at-automatic-wall-charger/
solid snake "For realz" xP

Russia launches 38 times to deliver 80 satellites, being the country with the most launches in 2014. More (not so up-to-date) info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_in_spaceflight
Also, SpaceX scrubs the planned year for future launches in their manifest: http://www.spacex.com/launch_manifest.php (since they don't usually fulfil the planned # of flights for the current year).

http://qz.com/281619/what-it-took-for-elon-musks-spacex-to-disrupt-boeing-leapfrog-nasa-and-become-a-serious-space-company/
old but nice history lesson =P They're hoping to add the 1st people ever to land a reusable 1st stage on a floating platform soon (this year, as close as this next launch) =)

http://aeon.co/magazine/technology/the-elon-musk-interview-on-mars/ More Elon Musk 

Lastly, how SpaceX can disrupt the industry when they demonstrate a landing of their 1st stage (obviously)!
http://qz.com/320177/2015-will-be-the-year-of-spacexs-reusable-rocket/



And WOW! YES! I think I just found the 1st space related job in software/electronics that I'm really interested in, in Australia! Too bad I ain't graduated yet. >.> Still, makes me psyched for work and motivated to learn/work hard seeing there are these opportunities in Australia!
Albeit a academic job/employer ... See: http://hr.unsw.adfa.edu.au/_form/index.php

Here's some quotes just in case they pull the job postings off that webpage in the future.
Professional posting:

School of Engineering and Information Technology

Flight Software Engineer – Spacecraft R&D

Ref: SEIT 30626
Salary:

• Level 6: $75,373 - $80,406pa (+17% super)
• Level 7: $82,672 - $89,477pa (+17% super)

As a member of the UNSW Canberra spacecraft team, the Flight Software Engineer will lead and manage the development and participate in the software-and-hardware-in-the-loop testing of the on-board flight software and ground control software for single and multiple spacecraft cubesat-class flight missions.
For additional information about this position, please contact Russell Boyce on (02) 6268 8056 or email R.Boyce@adfa.edu.au.
Downloads:

• Position Description
• Information Sheet

(5 year - Fixed term)
Applications Close: 9:00 am on 12 January 2015
Important: Before you apply, please have ready your Application (addressing the Selection Criteria) and your Resume, combined into a single DOC, DOCX or PDF file no greater than 5MB, as this will be required for uploading when you have completed the online application form.

And another professional posting:

School of Engineering and Information Technology

Spacecraft Project Lead

Ref: SEIT 30627
Salary:

• Level 8: $92,416 - $104,126pa (+17% super)
• Level 9: $107,408 - $113,971pa (+17% super)

As the lead of the UNSW Canberra spacecraft flight team, the Spacecraft Project Lead will provide the overall systems engineering and technical leadership and management for the design, development, acquisition, integration, testing, launch, operation and decommissioning of cubesat-class satellites and satellite formations. This is NOT a broad banded position, please see the PD for more details.
For additional information about this position, please contact Russell Boyce on (02) 6268 8056 or email R.Boyce@adfa.edu.au.
Downloads:

• Position Description
• Information Sheet

(5 year - Fixed term)
Applications Close: 9:00 am on 12 January 2015
Important: Before you apply, please have ready your Application (addressing the Selection Criteria) and your Resume, combined into a single DOC, DOCX or PDF file no greater than 5MB, as this will be required for uploading when you have completed the online application form.

And the academic position:

School of Engineering and Information Technology

Research Associate - Space Surveillance

Ref: RA SEIT(SS)
Salary:

• Level A: $66,311 - $88,415 pa (+ 17% super)

As part of significant investment in a flagship research initiative, UNSW Canberra is developing the in-house capability to underpin innovative, routine and affordable in-orbit space research. This capability will focus on launches of cubesat-class spacecraft, initially single satellites but quickly moving to the development of distributed, networked experiments and sensors across formations or assemblies of such spacecraft. Please see the Information Sheet and Position Description for more details.
For additional information about this position, please contact Russell Boyce on (02) 6268 8056 or email R.Boyce@adfa.edu.au.
Downloads:

• Position Description
• Information Sheet

(5 year - Fixed term)
Applications Close: 9:00 am on 12 January 2015
Important: Before you apply, please have ready your Application (addressing the Selection Criteria) and your Resume, combined into a single DOC, DOCX or PDF file no greater than 5MB, as this will be required for uploading when you have completed the online application form.

Space & Tech newsdump

Busy with uni work and yes, projects! =P
[need to finish an Android app in two 1-week sprints that allows year 10 students to learn functional programming by doing it!]
So as pointed out already, I'll abandon the idea of posting news items as blog articles regularly. This doesn't mean I'll stop posting all news type articles though!

Because I don't want to spend the time regurgitating news articles in nice English, here's a link dump of noteworthy articles in the past few weeks: (it also serves as a personal favourite/bookmarker =P) =D

http://www.sciencealert.com/australian-researchers-have-converted-sunlight-into-electricity-with-more-than-40-efficiency

http://garethhayes.net/hackrf-blue/

http://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/2014/11/22/private-cubesat-start-ups-join-the-space-race/14165748001263

www.space.com/27588-nasa-asteroid-capture-mission-mars.html

http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/factory-upgrade

Why CSIRO is important:
http://csironewsblog.com/2014/11/20/megans-seven-reasons/

gmailblog.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/going-under-hood-of-inbox.html

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/01/penniless_and_desperate_wikipedia_sits_on_60m_cash/

http://lunar.xprize.org/news/blog/lunar-mission-one-takes-crowd-funded-route-moon

www.space.com/27936-nasa-orion-spaceship-survives-test-flight.html

http://www.space.com/27833-nasa-orion-capsule-first-test-flight-infographic.html

https://www.reddit.com/r/learnprogramming/wiki/faq

www.space.com/27944-nasa-orion-spaceship-textbook-spaceflight.html

http://www.csoonline.com/article/2853027/malware-cybercrime/report-hacker-group-fin4-stealing-insider-info-to-exploit-significant-changes-in-stock-prices.html

http://www.citylab.com/cityfixer/2014/09/when-adding-bike-lanes-actually-reduces-traffic-delays/379623/

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/12/08/jaxa-testing-deep-space-microsat-with-asteroid-flyby/

http://www.livescience.com/49028-farthest-quantum-teleportation.html

www.space.com/27955-spacex-rocket-ocean-landing-platform.html

http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-tesla-plugs-into-australia-20141209-story.html
Tesla finally updates their website to show superchargers on the Hume Hwy in 2015! YESS!! Can't wait to drive a Tesla from MEL-CBR! =)

Elon Musk Unveils the 'D' and something else

I really like it when Elon talks nerdy. So Elon Musk unveiled the 'D' - dual motor version of the Model S which means it actually now has better fuel/battery efficiency than the single motor version! The weight is offset by the efficiency gained by dynamically shifting power between front and rear motors during the drive! Check out his reveal below.



But the highlight has to be the autopilot! I've been wanting a car with significant driver assist features like those introduced in the video above. I mean, it's like a bat-mobile (ultrasonics anyone?)! I'm surprised they didn't put the rear-view camera into the sensor mix for autopilot, but I guess the ultrasonics is a much more reliable input, and they could always add in the extra sensor input via software updates. Every car for the past 2 weeks has come from the Tesla factory with all the autopilot hardware!

Features like full computer control, driving to where you want on your private property via your synced calendar (e.g. main entrance to pick you up for work/[LAN] party). He made a Metal Gear Solid pun too!! While telling his engineers of a new feature he'd like!! xDDD Now I'm thinking - forget the Model 3 as my future car purchase when I actually earn full-time, I'm going for the Model S with autopilot second hand haha.

Here are the Autopilot Sensors:
Radar - see through stuff like fog, I'm thinking because of the larger wavelength.
Forward Camera -  CV ftw.
360 Ultrasonar - apparently senses soft material like flesh really well
Satellite/Nav - Includes traffic info (like the creepy Google ones)

Here's Tesla's blogpost. Also, the video below shows the test-drive ride inside:


On the stock note, it dropped a bit after the hype from the twitter post, but Elon's not worried and neither am I. Elon's in this for the sustainability standpoint of long-term sustainable energy use and transportation. Fossil fuels will never be sustainable nor clean.

Tesla Confirms Bluestar as Model III, not E

Yes! Name of Tesla's Bluestar finally confirmed
Haha, didn't know Elon Musk wanted to spell SEX with his model "numbers" but Ford sued them for the E. 
This coming from the company that recently open-sourced its patents (for the good of sustainability and EVs)! 

Quick update, so obligatory iframe:

Dragon V2 Unveil and All Tesla's Patent Are Belong To Us!

Back from a hiatus, we have news which may be a bit outdated, but interesting nonetheless!



SpaceX unveils Dragon V2, a manned spacecraft with the significant difference from V1 of being both manned and having Super Draco thrusters, with over 100 times the thrust. These are required for both the LES (Launch Escape System) built into the vehicle (as opposed to an LES tower ala Apollo), as well as propulsion based landing from orbit (it includes parachutes but isn't planned to normally use them).

It has massive 4*17" touch screen array powered by multiple redundant Tegra chips from nVidia, with technology shared from Tesla's own touchscreens on the Model S. In the middle of the array are a variety of hardware buttons for critical functions in case the touchscreens fail. Rest assured, Musk says (while laughing) the rest of the ship's systems aren't powered by Tegras. A lot more juicy info can be found at this arstechnica article.

Also, rodents (live animals!) will be flying on CRS-4, for SCIENCE! =D Because we know from KSP having a lab in space process science and recovering science module data gives you more science! =)


_______________________________________handmade_break__________________________________________

Tesla has released all of its patents as open in the spirit of open source and rapid development of Electric Vehicles to stop the evil and unsustainable oil pollutions! =P Go Tesla and Elon Musk!! Great FOSS philosophy. While some people may spell doom for the company, I don't see any specific licence they're releasing it under, and since they still hold the patents, they can enforce any at will if someone oversteps and abuses their limited rights. Also, the example of AT&T's decline is wrongly used, since Tesla will only fail if it fails to continue to innovate and capitalise on their innovations with the rest of the competition. Also, as we can see from AT&T releasing their patents, the global telecoms industry has grown so much, and this is the same goal of Musk and the reason he made Tesla in the first place.

Apparently, lots of confused media inquiries about blog title. Look, we just to make sure they don't set us up the bomb.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 12, 2014

Incidentally, one of the ranks of the Linux Users Group - an org in Star Citizen is AYBABTU. =)

P.S. I should be able to do that Model S test drive post soon, holidays are good. =)

EVs and Coding upstream/downstream

Prime example of using data/paper references to deliberately misconstrue understanding:
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/currency/2013/10/why-electric-vehicles-have-stalled.html
Sure petrol releases half as much CO2 than the electric grid, (direct energy - e.g. burning petrol or coal) not including the LCA stuff for mining, obtaining and transporting the fuels or energy (transmission grids).
But petrol engines are around 20% efficient but with electric transmission and electric motors like Tesla's car, they have an efficiency of about 90% - that's around 4* as much, meaning even with coal-burning electricity generation, you're only releasing half as much CO2 per energy to the wheels with electricity than petrol. And with green power or nuclear, you can drastically reduce CO2 output, so transferring the fuel into energy is best done en-masse, instead of inside everyone's individual car 'generators' =P

Also nice link about dependencies, which relates to last post's project release: Ubuntu chapter 8 on dependences! =)
http://blog.martin-graesslin.com/blog/2013/10/how-code-flows-about-upstream-and-downstream/

Tesla's Model S does it again: tops safety rating in the US

Way too many posts on Elon Musk but this guy's doing stuff! =P

http://www.teslamotors.com/about/press/releases/tesla-model-s-achieves-best-safety-rating-any-car-ever-tested
A pro and badass post including the Model S breaking test equipment and Apollo reference. =P

Also, if you wanted that side crash in detail:


Something funny:
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2013/08/a-tesla-model-s-crashed-into-an-electric-pole-and-caused-a-blackout/

Also, if you haven't seen these old EV safety training videos for first responders:

Hyperloop - Finally! (by Elon Musk & co)

http://www.spacex.com/hyperloop
http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/hyperloop

Actual white paper linked to in those two identical blogs.

It's basically like the Alcubierre Warp Drive in a low pressure air tube.. haha. Sub-sonic, solar panels on top, sky-mono-rail so tube lifted by pylons to reduce ground impact and earth movement problems. Propulsion is by electromagnetic linear induction motor acceleration powered through the tube. (Think sub-orbital railgun).

2 lovely things - One Piece & Startups

http://www.techinasia.com/3-startups-learn-reading-piece-manga/
Yep, 2 lovely things I thought had no relation to each other xP