Say goodbye to Launch Complex 39-B

Launch Complex 39-B, in transition, originally uploaded by rob-the-org.

It was announced today - that NASA was going to go ahead and start demolishing the Shuttle-specific structures on Launch Pad 39-B at the Kennedy Space Center.

This is not unexpected since the Shuttle program is in the process of winding down. But it just seems short sighted. 39B (pictured) and 39A are the ONLY pads that the Space Shuttle can launch from. If something happens to 39A between now and the end (however unlikely) - there is no backup plan.

Once the Shuttle program is over - the only way US astronauts can get into orbit would be the Russian Soyuz capsules - and the Russians (taking a page from the Capitalist playbook) have already raised the cost of a flight on the Soyuz from the estimated $31million (paid by Cirque du Soleil's founder for his trip in Oct 2009) to $45 million for Tourists and $56 million for NASA astronauts (for flights in 2011-2012).

Please let SpaceX's Dragon/Falcon 9 combo work - when they fly it next month. Please.

Have you done your Census form yet?

If you feel the every 10 year US Census is asking for too much information - take heart. It could be worse.

It could be the Indian census. According to the BBC - the Indian census will be collecting biometric information for any person above the age of 15 to add to the Indian National Population Register.

Biometric info is being defined as;

.. such as photograph, 10 fingerprints and probably Iris information will be added for all persons aged 15 years and above.

If those are my options - I will happily fill out the US version.

An unusual plane

One of the other aviation photographers I travel with - got the heads up on a very unusual plane that was going to be coming through Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX). But instead of it being an airline or aircraft that we don't normally see here - it was a completely new type of airplane.

Here it is coming into land on Tuesday night;





It is a Russian designed Beriev Be-200 'Altair'. It is a multipurpose amphibious aircraft. It was in the Western Hemisphere to try to drum up sales for it. It was on its way to California where it was going to be shown off for potential use fighting forest and wild fires.

[For other pictures of the Beriev coming in and leaving Phoenix - take a look at the Photo club's site here]

Most Viewed pictures for March 2010

Most Viewed pictures for March 2010, originally uploaded by rob-the-org.

For a change - every single picture shown is from this year (2010). And I didn't have to fudge it to get rid of the continually annoying QR code for the movie '9'.