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Dynaverse.net => Hawkeye's Roost => Topic started by: stoneyface on August 19, 2011, 06:31:11 pm

Title: =/\= chinese solar sail probe to asteroid, rebuilding ww2 computer.
Post by: stoneyface on August 19, 2011, 06:31:11 pm

first up today is a proposal by the chinese to build a probe using a solar sail to fly into the asteroid apophos. a very unique solution to a vexing problem of fuel costs on this particular mission. i would love to see a solar sail tested in such a way to prove viability. read here for details: http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/arxiv/27088/?p1=blogs (http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/arxiv/27088/?p1=blogs)

next is an interesting story for computer and ww2 historians. a group of volunteers has rebuilt a famous code breaking computer "tunny". the hardest and most impressive part of this feat is that it was done with only spare parts, one photo, and some hand drawn circuits done by memory! that is not a job i would want to do! read here: (a good long article too) http://www.pcpro.co.uk/features/369397/how-volunteers-rebuilt-world-war-ii-computers (http://www.pcpro.co.uk/features/369397/how-volunteers-rebuilt-world-war-ii-computers)

finally to those few people who read this forum for my daily (mostly) updates, i thank you. i love to see that a thread has gotten responses and some good discussion going. it helps me motivate to get through the day. :) thanks

Title: Re: =/\= chinese solar sail probe to asteroid, rebuilding ww2 computer.
Post by: Brush Wolf on August 19, 2011, 07:52:47 pm

I always find these interesting although I mostly lurk as can be seen from my post count.