Expedition 35 Crew Lands Safely in Kazakhstan from International Space Station

Expedition 35 Crew Lands Safely in Kazakhstan05.13.13

The Expedition 35 crew members are assisted by recovery teams and medical personnel shortly after landing in Kazakhstan aboard their Soyuz TMA-07M spacecraft. Credit: NASA TV

The Expedition 35 crew members undock from the station aboard the Soyuz TMA-07M spacecraft. Credit: NASA TV

The Expedition 35 crew says goodbye to their station crew mates before closing the hatch to the Soyuz TMA-07M spacecraft. Credit: NASA TV
Expedition 35 Commander Chris Hadfield and Flight Engineers Tom Marshburn and Roman Romanenko landed their Soyuz TMA-07M spacecraft in southern Kazakhstan at 10:31 p.m. EDT Monday. Russian recovery teams were on hand to help the crew exit the Soyuz vehicle and adjust to gravity after 146 days in space. 

The trio launched aboard the Soyuz TMA-07M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in December and spent 144 days living and working aboard the International Space Station. 

Romanenko was at the controls of the spacecraft as it undocked at 7:08 p.m. Monday from the Rassvet module. 

Its 100% NASA big Success 

source:nasa

Ammonia coolant leak of International Space Station

International Space Station managers and the international partners approved plans late Friday for a spacewalk Saturday by Expedition 35 crew members Chris Cassidy and Tom Marshburn out of the Quest airlock of the U.S. segment of the complex to inspect and possibly replace a pump controller box on the station's far port truss (P6) suspected of leaking ammonia coolant. Final approval to conduct the spacewalk came after a day-long review of procedures and the crew's preparations to support the excursion.

A leak of ammonia coolant from the area near or at the location of a Pump and Flow Control Sub-assembly was detected on Thursday, prompting engineers and flight controllers to begin plans to support the spacewalk. The device contains the mechanical systems that drive the cooling functions for the port truss.

                                                                                                           source:nasa

Iran hit with 6.2 magnitude earthquake, 5.5 aftershock May 11, 2013 03:42

Iran hit with 6.2 magnitude earthquake, 5.5 aftershock                                              

 

                                                                                                                                 May 11, 2013 03:42 

 A 6.2 magnitude earthquake shook Iran early Saturday morning, followed by a 5.5 aftershock. The earthquake’s epicenter, which began at 6:59am local time, came in the southern part of the country near the Persian Gulf, but very far from Tehran.

The earthquake was felt most on the shore of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic trade point for the international oil market.
So far there have been no reports of damage or casualties caused by the quake.
Last month the Islamic Republic was hit by a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake, which sent tremors throughout the Persian Gulf states and India. Dozens of people were killed and over a hundred injured across the region.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Source: Rt.com

Study Projects Changes in Global Rainfall

Model simulations spanning 140 years show that warming from carbon dioxide will change the frequency that regions around the planet receive no rain (brown), moderate rain (tan), and very heavy rain (blue). The occurrence of no rain and heavy rain will increase, while moderate rainfall will decrease

The study shows for the first time how rising carbon dioxide concentrations could affect the entire range of rainfall types on Earth.

Analysis of computer simulations from 14 climate models indicates wet regions of the world, such as the equatorial Pacific Ocean and Asian monsoon regions, will see increases in heavy precipitation because of warming resulting from projected increases in carbon dioxide levels. Arid land areas outside the tropics and many regions with moderate rainfall could become drier.

The analysis provides a new assessment of global warming's impacts on precipitation patterns around the world. The study was accepted for publication in the American Geophysical Union journal Geophysical Research Letters.