At the International Space Station had to make emergency repairs to its toilet and use an emergency urinal when the part responsible for collecting the waste malfunctioned. Well do they do with it when it gets collected?
Do they eject into outer space or back to Earth? Space Toilets separate solid from liquid waste, and the solid gets tightly bagged until it can be removed. On a space shuttle it is compressed, stored and brought back to Earth. The space station, on the other hand, deposits the solid waste onto an unmanned vehicle (known as a “Progress module”) that is eventually released toward Earth, burning up on its re-entry into the atmosphere.
Historically, space vehicles have released urine overboard. Because of the low temperatures outside, the wastewater quickly freezes into small crystals. (Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart once described a urine dump at sunset as “the most beautiful sight in orbit.”) But urine, like just about anything else humans leave in space, can turn into orbital debris. A study conducted off the Mir space station in the mid-1990s identified “flake depressions” suspected to be caused by human waste. And even tiny objects can cause damage if they are orbiting at high velocity: In one 1983 mission, a paint flake created a crack in the space shuttle Challenger’s window, and wastewater was initially suspected as a possible cause of the 2003 Columbia disaster. In fact, the risks posed by frozen pee are limited: Orbital-debris experts say it is likely to sublimate from a solid form directly into gas within an orbit or two. In addition, waste that is released from the shuttle should be moving in the same direction as the spacecraft, limiting the possibility of a collision.
GEORGE Takei, the original Sulu from “Star Trek,” is the latest Hollywood star to announce that he is taking advantage of California’s new gay-marriage ruling.
Over the weekend, Takei announced on his Web site that he and long-time partner Brad Altman will get married this summer.
“Our California dream is reality,” he wrote. “At long last, the barrier to full marriage rights for same-sex couples has been torn down.”
Takei, who also had a reoccurring role on “Heroes” last year, first came out in 2005 in order to talk against a veto by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of a same-sex marriage law.
Jenna Bush to marry Henry Hager, the son of the well connected Virgina
Republican. Yes, President Bush (most unpopular president in history)
daughter has announced her upcoming nuptials to Virginia Republicans son.
Well in my opinion they are riding the coat tails of the White House fame
and it seem to be a political marriage strategy.
Though the couple smiles to the public, I am sure her fiancée is in the
political ring and getting designs on some office. Wow another chance for
President Bush to dance can it be true.
Bush will probably out spend some of the Royal Wedding since he has no sense
when it comes to finances with our country , could it be any better in his
private life. They say it will take place away from the media but I am sure
they know that it will be spied on from outer space the way technology is
today. Read the rest of this entry »
