The return of the ISEE 3

http://spacecraftforall.com/home


Great website with cool interactive documentary-like experience! Check it out! Also, it'll be live-streaming the fly-by of the moon in a few hours (Sunday, August 10th 10:30am PT - 12:00pm PT) , but I'll be asleep. Also includes live data anytime! =)

This whole project was crowdfunded and they (the hackers/makers) work in a hackerspace/mission-control in an old Maccas building! Lol! And with NASA's blessing =) Them talking about *SCIENCE* so much reminds me of stuff like Portal, xkcd, KSP (get them science points!) haha.

Also, great post about SoftwareDefinedRadio; been meaning to get my HAM radio callsign sometime soon ...

Also, the initial swing-bys to get to the 1st comet flown through by man is so cool and complicated, it reminded me of an epic version of this:

I mean, orbiting in one plane is hard enough to learn (in a fun way) in KSP. Add in polar plane and crazy manoeuvres and orbits like Quasi-Zenith and I have to spend more time wrapping my head around more simulations, models and reading.
P.S. My short-term goal is to build and launch a (nano)sat in one of them Quasi-Zenith orbits servicing Australia =P Hopefully I'll get to crowdfunding when I've actually done work on it xP.

Security and ROMs

http://www.engadget.com/2014/08/10/xiaomi-privacy-issue-cloud-messaging/
So apparently anyone could've just read all your messages and a lot of your contact details.

Earlier this week, Finland's F-Secure looked into claims that Xiaomi was secretly sending data from its MIUI-powered phones back to its servers, and it turned out to be true. Despite having not added any cloud accounts, F-Secure's brand new Redmi 1s -- Xiaomi's budget smartphone -- still beamed its carrier name, phone number, IMEI (the device identifier) plus numbers from the address book and text messages back to Beijing. Worse yet, the data was unencrypted, thus allowing F-Secure and potentially anyone to, well, get to know your Xiaomi phone very easily. Earlier this week, Finland's F-Secure looked into claims that Xiaomi was secretly sending data from its MIUI-powered phones back to its servers, and it turned out to be true. Despite having not added any cloud accounts, F-Secure's brand new Redmi 1s -- Xiaomi's budget smartphone -- still beamed its carrier name, phone number, IMEI (the device identifier) plus numbers from the address book and text messages back to Beijing. Worse yet, the data was unencrypted, thus allowing F-Secure and potentially anyone to, well, get to know your Xiaomi phone very easily.

This is partly the reason why I never touched MIUI.
But then in the end, it's pick NSA or MSS, or both. Like Skype, I'd think it highly probably Wechat and other similar apps reported to their home governments with juicy data. Lots and lots and lots of meta data.

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Also, I have been upgraded to a Sony Xperia Z1 from my Desire HD ("Karuu") this year, which I used after upgrading from the Dopod WinMo5-6 in 2010/2011. In light of my recent rooting and flashing exploits, and having experienced rooting and flashing custom ROMs on HTC (Desire HD), Samsung (S III, Tab), Sony (Z1), ASUS (TF300T), Yuandao (N90), Dopod/HTC (838 Pro), Zopo (ZP950) devices, and dealing with each manufacturer's quirks, here are a list of tips I should follow (while also following my flash guide/checklist):

1. Do these even when you've done this many times, because a false (or true) sense of proficiency can be misleading and lead to mistakes being made. 
2. Read everything, then re-read it! (Luckily most chefs/devs highlight potentially bricking hazards with warnings in red text. But still read everything in the OPs, and if more info is needed straight after OPs and latest posts in the thread and use search within thread/sub-forum).
3. Don't assume each sub-forum (for each device on xda) is similar. Know your sub-forum by exploring. Also, each device handles differently.
4. Plan the whole process - like using the waterfall methodology in SDLC. Know your aim, and define each step of how to get there. (Regain workable recovery: try flashing this 1st via fastboot, if that doesn't work, then ... etc.) 

This would save lots of headaches and having to do work-arounds which take literally hours longer than I'd have had to if I'd read (all the related threads!), understood, planned it out properly and followed the steps. This is one process where the Agile model way of doing things would work poorly, costing you more time. (And probably brick your device if you're not careful).
When you start trying the more labour-intensive/involved 'solutions', you start losing your shorter simple options because of wipes and incompatibilities between different partitions of your device. It's kind of like in cooking how you can always add more X but once it's mixed in, you can't take X out.

You can see why people operators like NASA, SpaceX, pilots, etc. have a pre-flight/launch checklist and the whole launch sequence timelines. One little mistake can have catastrophic consequences (not just bricking a device, more like death).

1st interview published online

So another Star Citizen post. With a very Linux-y twist. Here's all the previous SC related posts.

1st interview published on web-@CzenStar:New Org Profile: #StarCitizen's own #Linux User Group http://t.co/TJms4Iur0n pic.twitter.com/7FwhkDlNVB
— V C (@pd_12) August 9, 2014

I've blogged a bit before but never have had anyone blog about me (I think ...)
Here's my first interview published online! It's about our 'org' (i.e. clan, guild, outfit, etc. in the Star Citizen universe) called "Linux Users Group", based on the LUGs around the world. (Link is to Australia, VIC LUGs but hey, that's where I am =P)

Obligatory iframe for this momentous (=P) occasion:


It'd be great for anyone interested in Linux to join our LUG org! It'd also be cool to see you in the Unofficial Linux Thread. Hope to see you around the verse!

P.S. recently re-watched some Firefly (among other things) on my new 1080p 3D TV setup with 5.1 =3

Skype for Linux finally updated

Yay!
We are no longer v4.2.0.11 but v4.3~!

Skype has finally been updated (major version) since at least a couple of years!!!
(That mini-update that took away functionality and probably covered their covert NSA-assist spying doesn't count).

SpaceX reusable rocket video (SpaceX does it again!)

So reusability landing footage from last week's successful SpaceX-Orbcomm mission has been released by SpaceX! Apparently this time no file repairing was needed like last time when they crowd-sourced help for repairing their mpeg via reddit =P.
There is however, icing, which blurs/obscures the video quite a bit.



SpaceX's full blog/news post (quoted at the end) has more information, including that they touched down at close to 0 velocity, and the next 2 flights they will not attempt reusability tests since they are higher orbits (GTO). However, after that on flights 13,they will test landing on water and (flights 14, 15) on solid ground with increased chance of success. Apparently it's easier to land on land than on water?! (It could however, be just a platform in the ocean.)
I'm guessing they have great control over where they're able to land. (It's harder to gauge when and how to burn by eye/hand when landing from orbit to KSC in KSP -which was recently 40% off on Steam and now features contracts and rewards for recovery of things like boosters/stages =P)

Here's the full quote from the SpaceX blog (because the info is so juicy):

Following last week's successful launch of six ORBCOMM satellites, the Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage reentered Earth’s atmosphere and soft landed in the Atlantic Ocean. This test confirms that the Falcon 9 booster is able consistently to reenter from space at hypersonic velocity, restart main engines twice, deploy landing legs and touch down at near zero velocity.

After landing, the vehicle tipped sideways as planned to its final water safing state in a nearly horizontal position. The water impact caused loss of hull integrity, but we received all the necessary data to achieve a successful landing on a future flight. Going forward, we are taking steps to minimize the build up of ice and spots on the camera housing in order to gather improved video on future launches.

At this point, we are highly confident of being able to land successfully on a floating launch pad or back at the launch site and refly the rocket with no required refurbishment. However, our next couple launches are for very high velocity geostationary satellite missions, which don’t allow enough residual propellant for landing. In the longer term, missions like that will fly on Falcon Heavy, but until then Falcon 9 will need to fly in expendable mode.

We will attempt our next water landing on flight 13 of Falcon 9, but with a low probability of success. Flights 14 and 15 will attempt to land on a solid surface with an improved probability of success.

Space Age, here we come!!! =D

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:

Space Update 16/7/2014

Quick Space Update =D

 

AITC installs Wombat XL

Close to (my) home, Australia is finally moving along in the space industry with our first satellite testing facility at the Australian National University! The last time I was there they didn't have the Wombat vacuum tank in the big testing room. Let's see if I can upload a picture of what I saw (great view!): on second thought, he's some pics from the AITC from when we toured there!

The room where the Wombat XL Space Simulation Facility now sits

Dang, that view (Canberra's pretty!)

Crane in the clean room

Clean room

soon-to-be vibration platform

Sometimes moving images around is so difficult, even in this WYSIWYG blogger editor I would rather LaTeX. (html layout formatting is horrible imho)
ANU hopes to test their HDLT plasma thruster there. (Past research students in the group have said their previous conclusions were "need bigger vacuum chamber", so here it is! =P)

SpaceX launches 6 OrbComm satellites, gets aproval for Texas private launch site, and passes 3 flights EELV requirement

100% mission success. Reusability testing was good (again) up until splashdown.

Flight 10 of Falcon 9 was good. All six ORBCOMM satellites deployed on target.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 14, 2014

Rocket booster reentry, landing burn & leg deploy were good, but lost hull integrity right after splashdown (aka kaboom)
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 14, 2014

Detailed review of rocket telemetry needed to tell if due to initial splashdown or subsequent tip over and body slam
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 14, 2014

They got approval for their first private spaceflight facility. It even has a wiki page! This allows SpaceX to"provide SpaceX an exclusive launch site that would allow the company to accommodate its launch manifest and meet tight launch windows." Especially that rapid reusability time - land on your own launchpad, recover, reintegrate, refuel, launch without worrying about range clearance blocking you because it'd be planned already.

Also, USAF certifies SpaceX's Falcon9 3 successful flights, amid the legal battles they have had.

UK Spaceport and user roundup

Astronomy Agregator does a good UK Spaceport and reusable/SSTO/Sub-orbital round-up of the Spaceport's users and critique.
Speaking of my favourite space outlets (apart from the big ones like NASAspaceflight, spaceflightnow, space.com) I haven't been on AA or ParabolicArc or Spacevidcast in a while. I'll be happy to get back into it! =)
Spacevidcast's new show is now called TMRO ("tomorrow") and are on Patreon, so support them, because they do really great weekly shows!

Space Games

Space genre games have seen a resurgence, imho in no small part due to Star Citizen's rocketing success, and a lot of them are on Linux =D Here's updates from the biggest 2 (and my personal favourites) space games!

CIG at RSI.com on StarCitizen surpasses $48 million in funding and has almost 500k Star Citizens at time of writing! All the stretchgoals!! It doesn't look like we'll get the bagel carrier mentioned in an old WMH episode xP but we do get complete alien languages with the hiring of linguists!!!

Kerbal Space program is releasing 0.24 soon and has prepped this FAQ for us. After the NASA-partnered 0.23.5 Asteroid Redirect Mission update (with a stock asteroid grapler/claw), this is a welcome update with funds, reputation and contract functionality to further enhance the career mode! No longer will you build with unlimited money and have no repercussions of killed kerbonauts! =P I hope those interstellar mods and life support, real communication link, KOS and MFD mods still work ... Would love to do a full mission in first person!


Hurray for indies and startups! (All news items today have had a connection to this theme). Especially newspace! =)

Gaming Update & Arena Commander launched for a couple of weeks!

LoL, Dota 2 and SC2 are now collegiate sports.

Dota 2 nears 10 million prizepool money, which includes USD$8.4 million from compendium and compendium point purchases. That's $33.6 million of total compendium related revenue, and $25.2 million for Valve from compendium related revenue alone! This is getting big, just like TF2 hats =P
Current PrizePool:

Btw, Steam Summer Sale is on, get them daily/flash deals! Isthereanydeal.com is also a great website to track your wishlist and if it goes on sale on many different storefronts - it saves heaps of browsing time! 
You know Valve is doing something right when they release things gamers want (Steam Cloud, Cross platform SteamPlay, Dota2, TF2, SteamOS-Linux) and aren't shy to get it properly done and delay releases according to Valve Time, much like CIG does with Star Citizen and their DFM release. =P


Speaking of, the Star Citizen DogFighting Module has been released (launch trailer here)! It's named Arena Commander (as a in-universe combat sim game). Currently it's at v0.8, check the above link for the planned version update roadmap. Some interesting stats and tutorial videos for different control devices (m+kb, joystick) released ~24hrs after the DFM release.
Also, the most watched Star Citizen streamer on Twitch - Nyaandere - streams almost daily! (Pretty punny username if I may say so myself).

 
Alternate Launch Trailer, the one I prefer - especially with the lovely Bach Prelude 1 =P

Everyone has single player (free-flight, Vanduul swarm) access if you have the Alpha or "Arena Commander module" access. Most recently they've updated it with Hangar Patch 12.3 (which is still v0.8 for Dogfighting module/Arena Commander version numbers).
Want to know if you have multiplayer access? Check your UEE Citizen Record # on your Citizen Dossier like so https://robertsspaceindustries.com/citizens/pd12
Then match it up with the roll-out updates on https://robertsspaceindustries.com/comm-link/transmission/13947-Arena-Commander-Multiplayer-Roll-Out-Begins

Also because a lot of people have been complaining that the ships' handling doesn't "feel right" CR (Chris Roberts, project director) has written up this lovely post full of the details of how they simulate and model the flight physics. It's beautiful! (And therefore obligatory iframe which doesn't work atm, someone tell me why):

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. =)

Making fuel from seawater, FOSS, USPTO and copyright

The US navy is researching methods to make fuel from seawater and have a working prototype!
This has been a many-year effort.
Basically CO2 is extracted from sea-water by acidifying seawater with HCl and using electrolysis to extract CO2 and H2.
Then, using a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst and high temperatures (190C) long-chain hydrocarbons can be formed. 

Both main reactions/processes are obviously endothermic and require energy, so you wouldn't expect a ship to make their own hydrocarbon fuel and run on it, so ships can't be self-sufficient and not need to dock for fuel. However, it also means a whole new supply chain can be opened up which don't require traditional shipping/supply of oil from oil rigs and mines around the world.

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Yay for Linux on military drones courtesy of Raytheon! It might be a smart move to do stuff like open API for cost redundancy reduction and inefficiency reduction. Security through obscurity is not real security, so it's arguable no less safe than a proprietary *nix system like Oracle.
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/05/us-military-drones-are-going-to-start-running-on-linux/

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Speaking of open APIs, wtf is this:
Oracle granted API copyright, wins vs Google.
I mean, we've been down this road before with software patents and all their predicted detriments, and now you can copyright an API. Not sure how closely your API can resemble another's but this is treading deep into the patenting an idea. Maybe in 10 years time I can patent the idea of mining asteroids, even though Planetary Resources and Deep Space Industries would have been going at it for 10+years. Then I'll just receive royalties from any enterprising new-space company or project and live in luxury while drowning my guilt and shame and morality in loads of ice-cream. Also, everyone will have to hire more lawyers and the ratio of lawyers to engineers, scientists and other staff would be 50-50 in any technology company. And all the lawyers will be busy doing nothing but harming everyone.

And speaking of horrible copyright and patent rulings, if you know me you should know how much I look down on the USPTO - I have no hope in it. I mean, they just let Amazon patent taking photos against a white background! Watch out, passport photo takers! - That Star Trek double face-palm image is quite apt, so is "credibility reaching zero".