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Submission + - India successfully test fires its heaviest rocket

vasanth writes: India on Thursday moved forward in rocket technology with the successful flight testing of its heaviest next generation rocket and the crew module . The 630-tonne three-stage rocket, Geo-Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III, carried active solid boosters, liquid core stage and a passive cryo stage and a crew module to test its re-entry characteristics.

This rocket is capable of doubling the capacity of payloads India can carry into space and it can deposit up to four tonne class of communication satellites into space. India also plans to use this rocket for ferrying Indian astronauts into space.

For India, ISRO the Indian space agency perfecting the cryogenic engine technology is crucial as India can save precious foreign exchange by launching heavy duty communication satellites by itself.

Comment Re:Including Slashdot? (Score 1) 396

As you say, this is a discussion site. Anonymity is useful if you want to get honest opinions and honest debate.

Half the comments, including yours, are AC because either people don't have accounts or, more often, they don't want the comment attributed to them. So if half the comments are from people trying to hide their identity, then I think it's reasonable to expect HTTPS.

Comment Re:This silly person has no idea what will happen. (Score 1) 688

I think the concern is about the short term. If it takes 20 years for modes of work to catch up with technology, that 20 years gap is the problem. 20 years of high unemployment and social unrest should be avoided if possible, the question then is how to avoid it.

Comment Re:I'm a special snowflake apparently. (Score 2) 160

I agree that fonts seem to be the worst offender when it comes to browser fingerprinting. Surely browsers shouldn't need to send lists of installed fonts to web servers; a web page should simply list the desired fonts and the browser should decide, based on that, what font to use. Is the current behavior part of a standard? Even if it is, I hope browser makers are planning on stopping this leak.

Comment Some restrictions on powers (Score 1) 105

There's one important restriction on this new police power: they're generally only allowed to look at recently-sent / received / drafted communications. FTFA:

the nature and the extent of the search must be tailored to its purpose. In practice, this will mean that only recently sent or drafted emails, texts, photos and the call log will, generally, be available, although other searches may, in some circumstances, be justified.

The last bit (other searches may be justified) leaves enough wiggle-room for malicious police officers to invade privacy, but at least the principle of keeping police eyes away from data that has no direct connection to the immediate incident has been established.

Comment Re:Can I buy an editor? (Score 2) 129

Don't be silly, some commas are out of place but it's understandable.

The story sounds familiar â" while the use of unmanned, sometimes illegally, is increasing, there are myriad challenges to ultimately allow them safe access to national airspace. The watchdogs at the Government Accountability Office issued report on the integration of unmanned aerial systems as it calls them, in US national airspace (NAS) today ahead of a congressional hearing on the topic. As it has noted in past reports, the GAO said the main issues continue to include the ability for drones to avoid other aircraft in the sky; what backup network is available and how should the system behave if it loses its communications link.

becomes

While the use of unmanned drones, sometimes illegally, is increasing, there are several challenges to overcome before they can safely access US airspace. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued report on the integration of unmanned drones in US airspace today ahead of a congressional hearing on the topic. As the GAO noted in previously, the main issues continue to be: the ability for drones to avoid other aircraft in the sky; what backup network is available; and how should the system behave if it loses its communications link.

Simple!

Comment Awesome news (Score 2) 121

Planetary science lost hundreds of millions in the past few years, so this is welcome news IMHO.

The Planetary Society has some commentary on this news here. They're not exactly impartial observers when it comes to planetary science and they've long advocated for $1.5b/year of spending. This budget brings the funding up to $1.437b, so we're very close to what the advocates are asking for.

It's really good to see congress listening to the space science people and recognizing the tremendous value-for-dollar they get out of their robotic spacecraft. The US is the clear world leader when it comes to space telescopes and planetary science missions, and we're in a golden age for that kind of science right now. This money will hopefully keep up the pace that's been set for the past while.

One especailly exciting detail of this new funding: a chunk of it is earmarked for a mission to Europa. Quoting the Planetary Society again,

Europa gets its own special mention, though its increase is contained in the $1.437 billion for planetary science. Why? Because once again the actual law, not just the committee report language, directs NASA to spend money on Europa. This mission does not officially exist, though the Presidentâ(TM)s budget did request $15 million this year to study low-cost concepts (a step in the right direction). But $100 million is a considerable increase, and piles on top of last yearâ(TM)s $85 million provided for the same effort. The accompanying committee report directs another $18 million in technology development for Europa as well. NASA would be crazy not to use this funding to start a real mission, but that decision likely lies with the Office of Management and Budget, which approves their funding requests. Letâ(TM)s hope they get the message in time to request a new start in 2016.

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