I am reporting from the American Astronomical Society meeting in Austin, Texas. I’ll be attending press conferences and talking to astronomers, and blogging madly about all this.
Right after the Hubble press conference, astronaut John Grunsfeld — who is the leader of the astronauts’ Hubble extravehicular activities — showed us a spacesuit glove. I tried it on; it’s too small for my abnormally long fingers, but I could still see how hard it would be to work with one of those things strapped onto your hands.
When they service Hubble, they’ll be using a special device to take off and capture the many, many screws of off STIS. I asked him what would happen if he lost one…
January 8th, 2008 at 11:00 am
No pockets…where do they put their iPods?
January 8th, 2008 at 11:02 am
Maybe this is a dumb question, but why not keep a small magnet on hand. Wouldn’t have to be that strong, something that sticks to a refrigerator or something. A screw drifts by and you only need to get near it to capture it, plus all the other screws could be held as well.
Not ever being in space I can only speculate how well sticking stuff in a bag would be, but it seems highly likely that some of those screws will drift out. With a magnet they stay attached.
Unless, of course, the screws are non magnetic?
January 8th, 2008 at 11:02 am
I’ve either found some spectacular scientific woo or a really cool hoax site. Just not sure which.
Make sure to watch the video on the site
http://enitechlabs.com/index.html
January 8th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Phil, did he say if they will be using the new improved glove that won the NASA contest?
January 8th, 2008 at 11:50 am
Oxy-Acetelene torch? You’re going to 1) remove your attachment thether and 2) create a jet to move you away. Good plan.
Stick to ground-based astronomy, Phil…
- Jack
January 8th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Boosterz, you’re kidding right?
http://enitechlabs.com/index.html isn’t even a good hoax site.
Their two pictures:
http://72.47.201.22/blog/wp-content/c_113a.jpg (from 1/3/08)
and
http://enitechlabs.com/blog/wp-content/c_113b.jpg (taken 1/3/08 supposedly showing @ 3 years from now?)
It’s a decent start at a photoshopped job, but look for the little clues. The tree leaf on the top of the picture is still there in both pictures! That’s a hardy leaf.
Not to mention that the Earth moves in space, and would be a zillion miles away from where the picture was taken in the 3 years they claim their camera photographs from.
Of course, some people will buy it and think that it’s real, and that’s harmful cause it adds to the ignorance of the masses.
-Tundra
January 8th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Floating screws? I’d suggest a big fat magnet.
January 8th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
I’ve always thought astronauts were a bit flighty.
(rim shot)
Did you ask about the astronaut who wore the wig and the adult diaper? You know who I mean… William Shatner.
(rim shot)
They were going to put a restaurant on the Space Station but decided not to. Great view, but no atmosphere.
(rim shot)
NASA supposedly did some Apollo training on a Navajo reservation. One of the Navajo children asked if he could send a message to the moon, and, for some PR purpose, NASA agreed and tape recorded the message. When they had it translated from Navajo, it said, “Watch out. These guys are here to steal your land.”
OK. I’ll stop before this gets any uglier.
January 8th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Also Tundra, you can see what looks to be the sun in a reflection in the window in both pictures in exactly the same place. Or at least a light source, or possibly a stray group of pixels, but in any case it is the same in both pics.
January 8th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
You misunderstood what I was getting at. I knew it was fake, but I just didn’t know whether it was full blown woo or whether it’s just someone having fun. I’m leaning towards the latter.
January 8th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Son of a…. I didn’t even notice it at first because it was so well done! It’s a Ron Paul pitch! That’s what the entire movie leads to. It is a simple bait and switch! Koodos to those involved, cause that is one of the finest bait and switch movies I have ever seen! Well done!
January 8th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Doh, i’m pretty cynical and hateful of stupid hoax sites, sorry! i get it now!
-Tundra
January 8th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
BA wrote:
[[ I asked him what would happen if he lost one…]]
He wouldn’t get any pie?
January 8th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
EniTech–viral marketing for a new Terminator movie. They edited my comments calling them out on the video.
http://www.terminatorfiles.com/news/2008/2008-01-08-a.htm
Oh and hi BA, love your blog!
January 8th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Heh! Enitech speaks of their new idea, “open source research”. There’s been open source research going on for a long time. It’s called “science”.
What a bunch of amateur hucksters.
January 8th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
I’d just like to point out that the screws are very likely stainless steel and therefore probably can’t be attracted by a magnet.
January 8th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
That’s great! And he’s such a great guy. I got to interview him about 9 years ago and I’ve seen him at AAS meetings since then.
Of course, my favorite one of his is the Car Talk call he made… from the shuttle.
January 9th, 2008 at 8:04 am
Harv, do you have any idea where I can download audio of that call? I did a couple searches of their web site, Googled around a bit, nojoy.
BTW, it’s nice to have an uninterrupted string of astronomy/science blog entries. Thanks BA!
January 9th, 2008 at 9:26 am
If the screws are made from SS containing nickel alloy, it won’t be
magnetic. Or if they’re aluminum, or brass, or titanium.
I’d think a little bitty mylar bag on a stick, like an aquarium fish-net, but without the need for vent holes, might be just the ticket. Maybe put sticky stuff on the inside.
Of course, he could give the screw a good retrograde throw. Maybe it’d reenter. In any case, it wouldn’t damage the Hubble, even on the return orbit.