Topic: NASA - on December 21, 2013 at 3:32:00 PM CET
NASA Live Steam - EVA to Fix Ammonia Leak On The ISS
Last week, the media exhibited a fair amount of restraint in reporting a technical problem aboard the ISS. The news, that roughly half the ISS had lost its cooling systems, was worrying to say the least; though it might seem like a small issue, in space every problem is serious and pressing. All reporting was quick to note, however, that the crew is in no immediate danger, and the problem is on its way to being fixed.
nasa.gov Expedition 38 Crew To Conduct Spacewalk Saturday To Fix Faulty Pump
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Topic: SECURITY - on December 21, 2013 at 2:33:00 PM CET
Snowden-Vertrauter beklagt Verfolgung durch US-Geheimdienst in Berlin
Der US-Internetaktivist Jacob Appelbaum hat den US-Geheimdiensten vorgeworfen, ihn auch in Berlin zu verfolgen. Der Vertraute des früheren US-Geheimdienstmitarbeiters und Whistleblowers Edward Snowden sagte der Berliner Zeitung, Unbekannte seien in seine Wohnung eingedrungen und hätten sich an seinem Computer zu schaffen gemacht. Die US-Geheimdienste bauten auf eine Taktik der "Zersetzung" wie sie von der Staatssicherheit der DDR her bekannt sei. "Die Überwachung terrorisiert Menschen und unterstützt den noch viel gewaltigeren Terror der Drohnenkriege", sagte Appelbaum.
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Topic: SECURITY - on December 21, 2013 at 2:31:00 PM CET
Secret contract tied NSA and security industry pioneer
As a key part of a campaign to embed encryption software that it could crack into widely used computer products, the U.S. National Security Agency arranged a secret $10 million contract with RSA, one of the most influential firms in the computer security industry, Reuters has learned.
Documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden show that the NSA created and promulgated a flawed formula for generating random numbers to create a "back door" in encryption products, the New York Times reported in September. Reuters later reported that RSA became the most important distributor of that formula by rolling it into a software tool called Bsafe that is used to enhance security in personal computers and many other products.
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Topic: SCIENCE - on December 21, 2013 at 2:28:00 PM CET
The Cubli
Building cubes that can jump up and balance
The Cubli is a 15 × 15 × 15 cm cube that can jump up and balance on its corner. Reaction wheels mounted on three faces of the cube rotate at high angular velocities and then brake suddenly, causing the Cubli to jump up. Once the Cubli has almost reached the corner stand up position, controlled motor torques are applied to make it balance on its corner. In addition to balancing, the motor torques can also be used to achieve a controlled fall such that the Cubli can be commanded to fall in any arbitrary direction. Combining these three abilities -- jumping up, balancing, and controlled falling -- the Cubli is able to 'walk'.
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