Going to Warp

 art, awesomeness, Hmm..., models, news, projects, rockets, science, science fiction, spacecraft  No Responses »
Feb 102021
 

My first book contract had the due date for the manuscript in July, 2020. But guess what, a pandemic came along and shoved that back a full year. So I got a *second* contract, with a due date in January 2021. But guess what… pandemic pushed it to March. That book is *almost*  done, but I’ve taken a bit of a break from it to work feverishly on a completely different project: a CAD model of the “IXS Enterprise.” This is a notional spacecraft designed by artist Mark Rademaker to illustrate what a spacecraft based on an Alcubierre Warp Drive might look like; NASA has used various renderings of this vehicle quite often for that purpose.

The CAD model, which is being produced with the assistance and approval of Mr. Rademaker and Dr. Harold White of NASA, will be used to 3D print master parts for a 1/350 scale resin model kit to be released by Fantastic Plastic. As originally designed the IXS Enterprise had a length of 62.3 meters (which is being changed due to recent updates in the design) and the overall diameter is 41.3 meters. The model will thus be 17.8 cm/7 inches long by 11.8 cm/4.64 inches in diameter. This will put it in scale with the Polar Lights NCC-1701 Enterprise kit and the Moebius XD-1 USS Discovery kit, along with a whole bunch of ships.

UPDATE: there has been discussion about the scale of the model… chances are fair that it will get bumped up to 1/288 scale from 1/350. That would make it 8.5 inches long by 5.6 inches diameter.

The project to convert the  original CAD model into a printable kit is proceeding at a good pace.

 Posted by at 2:18 am

The Great Filter

 AARRRGH, cats, humor  No Responses »
Feb 092021
 

Here’s a problem that just a few years ago would have been inconceivable. Now it’s conceivable. And hilarious.

Also hilarious: the legal notice that recording that hearing was illegal. Snerk.

 

 Posted by at 4:44 pm

A minor revision to the “insurrection” narrative

 Forward!, Hmm..., politics  No Responses »
Feb 082021
 

One of the most important points that is commonly raised about the January 6 weirdness at the Capitol is that a police officer was murdered, bashed in the head with a fire extinguisher by a Trump supporter.

Yeah, about that, CNN has some relevant info:

According to one law enforcement official, medical examiners did not find signs that the officer sustained any blunt force trauma, so investigators believe that early reports that he was fatally struck by a fire extinguisher are not true.

Basically, Officer Sicknick fell ill later that day and died the next. The cause, at least publicly, remains unknown… as does the identity of the Capitol police officer who summarily executed Ashli Babbit for trespassing. In contrast, the police officers who were involved with the death of George Floyd were identified publicly and fired inside of a day. The investigative journalism world would seem to have some opportunities here for breaking a few stories.

 Posted by at 8:21 am

Supercooled water

 blather, Hmm..., science, youtube  No Responses »
Feb 082021
 

Winter has finally grown cold enough that the garage has dropped substantially below freezing, but bottled water is still liquid. Water can remain liquid far below its freezing point if it is pure enough; by not having a nucleation point for the freezing process to start on, undisturbed water can get to something like 40 below before it will freeze. But if supercooled water is agitated, the process can begin. Behold the utter excitement of life in my garage:

Yeah, yeah, vertical video. Learn to live with disappointment, it’s not like going landscape would have bought this anything.

 

 Posted by at 7:50 am

A Very Christmassy Medical Emergency

 art, Hmm..., photography  No Responses »
Feb 082021
 

A few days ago well after midnight I noticed unusual lighting conditions outside. Turns out some distance down the block someone had a medical emergency of some kind; in response an ambulance, a fire truck and at least three police SUVs showed up. The cameraphone photo made the resulting illumination look more festive than was intended, but interesting nonetheless.

 Posted by at 1:43 am

Chinese Beskar

 AARRRGH, art, Crazy, dumbassery, Forward!, Hmm..., news, politics, science fiction, youtube, ಠ_ಠ  No Responses »
Feb 072021
 

A little while back, one of President Bidens first actions was to overturn a Trump ban on turning the American electrical grid over to the control of the Chinese Communist Party. Clearly only right-wing nutjobs would be opposed to China digging deeply into vital American infrastructure. Chinese construction quality, customer service and ethics are world renowned and should not be questioned. Here’s an example of what we can look forward to from our future ChiGreenCom power systems:

Feh.

Communist crap is to be avoided at all costs. Communist *control* is to be actively resisted.  The ChiComs have nothing to offer. Their lackeys – paid and otherwise – have nothing to offer. You want quality? Go with good old American craftsmanship.

 Posted by at 7:13 pm
 Older Entries  Newer Entries