SDS

from @CERN today departed the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS). After successful tests in the LHC this international superdetector will boldly go beyond the earthly bonds.  It’s journey will take it first to Norway for testing and then to space by way of the Kennedy Space Center.  (The LHC is presently undergoing a retool for higher power collisions and experiments to come.)

read the press release here:
http://press.web.cern.ch/press/PressReleases/Releases2010/PR02.10E.html

i like that NASA is going to contract out manned space travel to private contractors. Applied Composites, I’m looking in your direction. I’ll admit that NASA can land a probe anywhere they want, but the shuttle was a bad idea even 20 years ago. Who thought it was a good idea to haul a huge gas tank *almost* into space, just to send it hurtling back to earth. It’s not like we can use that for a space station or moon base.