NASA has released a visualization of the Eta Carinae Homonculus nebula, creating a 3D simulation of it. One would imagine that with a decent 3D printer, access to the 3D model and some artistry, someone could make a decent-sized lamp based on this. Printed in transparent resin with appropriate thicknesses and areas of translucent dyes, filled with LEDs, such a lamp could sit on a desktop or hang from a ceiling like a chandelier.
Below is one of the diagrams that I used to help create “Lockheed SR-71: Origins and Evolution.” It is a Lockheed diagram taken from a CIA report showing the D-21 drone atop an M-21 mothership… basically a two-seat version of the A-12 spyplane. The D-21 program as a whole was a dismal failure, but launching it from the back of a manned Mach 3 aircraft proved to be fatal. Still, the D-21, for all the trouble it had, was an impressive piece of work; had there been more of a drive to make it work, doubtless Lockheed would have made it into a successful recon platform. But the time, effort and expense just didn’t compare well to results from spy satellites, and the program was ended. A number of airframes have been preserved, and there have been attempts to resurrect them for use as experimental platforms.
The full-rez diagram has been uploaded to the 2022-01 APR Extras folder on Dropbox. This is available to all $4 and up Patrons and Subscribers. If you would like to help fund the acquisition and preservation of such things, along with getting high quality scans for yourself, please consider signing on either for the APR Patreon or the APR Monthly Historical Documents Program.
I plan on uploading a number of the diagrams, art and whatnot that I used to create the CAD diagrams in “SR-71” the the APR extras Dropbox in the coming months.
I have high hopes that this story is accurately reported. The idea of a dinky little destroyer crewed by pissed off Poles harassing the Bismark is just too freakin’ awesome.
This thing looks like it’s out of a sci-fi flick. Specifically, a sci-fi flick where the VFX people were told to ignore the laws of physics.
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“On January 23, 2022, the Department of State authorized the voluntary departure of US direct hire employees and ordered the departure of eligible family members from Embassy Kyiv due to the continued threat of Russian military action,” the State Department said in a statement. “US citizens in Ukraine should consider departing now using commercial or other privately available transportation options.”
Given the crappy job the State Department did in warning Americans to bug out of Afghanistan, this announcement is indicative of either “holy crap this is bad” or “let’s over-react.” I could go with either.
As an aside: I’ve always seen it spelled “Kiev.” When did it become “Kyiv?”
Anyway, I’m just glad that we have such stellar leadership just now, smart and awake like no administration ever before.
A new-ish rocket company… that already has $400 million in investment.
The silent part out loud:
And probably not for the reason you think…
A lot of the cultural depredations that have occurred in recent years, egged on by the cesspits of social media, might in some small way be reversed if massive lawsuits such as this, and Rittenhouse/Sandmann’s suits against the media, politicians and celebrities who slandered them, are successful. Lightening the wallets of fabulously rich individuals and organizations who think nothing of trying to destroy the lives and legacies of regular folk is a laudable goal, if a probably unlikely one.
Perhaps a bit of an effort to get there, but still worth a chuckle.
