India launching first #Mars mission #Mangalyaan

After the successful mission to Moon (Chandrayaan-I), India is heading to Mars!

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is launching  Mangalyaan using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The planned launch date is Nov 5th, 2013.   The Mangalyaan will carry five scientific payloads which include: 

1. Methane Sensor For Mars (MSM), 
2. Mars Color Camera (MCC), 
3. Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyzer (MENCA), 
4. TIR Spectrometer (TIS), and 
5. Lyman-Alpha Photometer (LAP). 

It will also use Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN), as well as NASA deep space network for navigation and tracking during its mission. The spacecraft is expected to take nearly 300 days to reach the Martian orbit.

It is quite impressive that ISRO has pulled it up in such a short time. The next fuel-saving Hohmann transfer orbit opens  in 2016. If successful, ISRO would become the fourth space agency to reach Mars, after Roscosmos, NASA, and ESA.

ISRO in Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/ISROs-Mars-Orbiter-Mission/1384015488503058?directed_target_id=0

Read more...

• http://www.nbcnews.com/science/india-plans-launch-first-mars-mission-test-large-rocket-year-6C10714150
• http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2013/04011229-isros-mars-mission-now.html
• http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/texttrans/2013/03/20130322144724.html#axzz2PF1pO4Vc

LEGO Ultimate (Useless) Machine

Ultimate machine or useless machine are designed to operate in such a way that it will switch itself off, whenever turned on.

Here is one version:

Free Plans, Purchase Kits, Machines & More:http://frivolousengineering.com

There are variety of modifications made. This one is amusing:

And... this is an awesome construction LEGO3.

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@NASAVoyager leaves the solar system, officially

Space, the final frontier!

The recent news is that Voyager has left the solar system.
We have made it! (Well, it has been 1 year! )




NASA hosted a news conference on Thurs., Sept. 12, 2013, to discuss NASA's Voyager mission.
The briefing was held at NASA Headquarters in Washington and air live on NASA Television and the agency's website.
The recorded video is highly recommended

जब सम्म #यूवा को चेत खुल्दैन, तब सम्म देश को चान्सै छैन!

नेपालको मूल समस्या के हो भनि धेरै जना घोत्लिए,

देशी-बिदेशी अजासु (अति-जान्ने-सुन्ने) ले प्रयास गरे 

पैसाको खोलो बगाए, तर पत्ता लागेन  रे !

कहिले राजालाई दोष दिइयो, कहिले कांग्रेस, त कहिले कम्म्युनिस्ट 

जो सत्ता मा छ दोष  उसैको हुनेनै भो!

सबै प्रयोग गरियो, नेपालमा 

कहिँ नभएको प्रयोग पनि गरियो 

तर मेरो विचार मा यो चित्र ले सहि समस्या को जड केहो भन्ने प्रस्ट देखाउछ 

pic via @puruad (ask him for source)

झण्डा बोकेको भर मा आजको टर्ने भए पछि के को टेन्सन?

अझ त्यति गरेर मज्जा नलागे काम गरिखाने को बाटो छेकेर साईकल को हावा फुस्काउन पाइन्छ

मारकाट र कुटपिट को रोमान्स त् झन छदैछ!  

जब सम्म #यूवा को चेत खुल्दैन, तब सम्म देश को चान्सै छैन!

जंगबहादुरले रोलक्रम राखेका थिए, राणाजीहरु त् गए, तर प्रथा अझै छ 

झर्ला र खाउला भनेर कुरुन्जेल समय बितिसक्ने छ

जाग नेपालका युवाहरु, 

नत्र भो कुरै नगरौ!

http://khaik.tumblr.com/post/50009979335/et-puruad

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Is the #Sun's Magnetic Field about to Flip?

(Ans: Yes!)
We are familiar with the 11 year long cycles of the Sun. When the solar activities are peaked, we call it  Solar max [Link 1, Link2]. During Solar Max, there are many sunspots, prominences, and solar storms (solar flares, and coronal mass ejections). The magnetic field of the Sun protects solar system from cosmic rays. Cosmic rays are high-energy particles generated during violent events in the galaxy.  The solar reversal can have big impact as Cosmic rays could pose dangers to astronauts and space instruments.

Read more..
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/05aug_fieldflip/

Watch the video which narrates the article:


Few weeks ago, there was this video showing a persistent hole in the Sun's Corona

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