Sir Arthur C Clarke

Chandrayaan-3: India's Historic Achievement with a Soft Moon Landing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 09:46:00 +0000

India made history on August 23, 2023, by successfully landing the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on the moon. This is a major milestone for India's space program and a testament to the hard work and dedication of the scientists and engineers at the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft touched down in the unexplored southern polar region of the moon. This region is thought to be rich in water ice, which is a valuable resource for future human exploration. The spacecraft is equipped with a lander, a rover, and an orbiter. The lander will study the lunar surface, while the rover will explore the surrounding area. The orbiter will provide a global view of the moon.

The successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 is a major achievement for India and a boost for the global space community. It shows that countries like India are capable of carrying out complex space missions. This is important for the future of space exploration, as it will require collaboration between countries to achieve ambitious goals.

The scientific goals of Chandrayaan-3 are to:

Study the lunar south pole region, which is thought to be rich in water ice.
Investigate the geology and composition of the lunar surface.
Search for signs of past or present life on the moon.
Improve our understanding of the moon's evolution.

The data collected by Chandrayaan-3 will help scientists to answer some of the most fundamental questions about the moon. It will also help us to better understand the history of our solar system.

The successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 is a historic achievement for India and for the global space community. It is a reminder that anything is possible when we work together to achieve our goals.

Here are some additional details about the scientific endeavors of Chandrayaan-3:

The lander will use its radar to map the lunar surface and search for water ice deposits.
The rover will use its cameras and spectrometers to study the geology and composition of the lunar surface.
The orbiter will use its instruments to study the moon's atmosphere, gravity field, and magnetic field.

The data collected by Chandrayaan-3 will be used to plan future lunar missions, such as the search for water ice and the exploration of potential landing sites for future human expeditions.

Near future :)

The successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 is a major milestone in the history of lunar exploration. It opens up new possibilities for future missions and helps us to better understand our neighboring world.

The Father of Satellite Communication

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 05:32:00 +0000

Arthur C. Clarke was a British science fiction writer and engineer who is widely considered to be the father of satellite communication. In 1945, he published a paper in Wireless World magazine that outlined the concept of using geostationary satellites for telecommunications. This was a revolutionary idea at the time, as it would allow for global communication without the need for expensive and complex ground-based infrastructure.

Clarke's ideas were not immediately taken up by the telecommunications industry, but they eventually gained traction. In 1964, the first geostationary satellite, Telstar 1, was launched. This was a major milestone in the development of satellite communication, and it paved the way for the global telecommunications networks that we use today.

Clarke's contributions to satellite communication were immense. His ideas were not only visionary, but they were also practical. His work helped to make satellite communication a reality, and it has had a profound impact on the way we communicate today.

In addition to his work on satellite communication, Clarke was also a prolific writer of science fiction. He wrote over 70 books and short stories, including the famous novel 2001: A Space Odyssey. Clarke's work helped to popularize science fiction and to raise awareness of the possibilities of space exploration.

Arthur C. Clarke was a brilliant and visionary thinker. His work on satellite communication has had a profound impact on the way we communicate today. He is rightly considered to be the father of satellite communication.

Clarke's concept of using geostationary satellites for telecommunications was based on the idea that a satellite in orbit at a specific altitude above the equator would appear to be stationary in the sky. This would allow for continuous communication between ground stations on opposite sides of the Earth.
Clarke's ideas were inspired by his work as a radar engineer during World War II. He saw the potential of using satellites to relay radio signals over long distances.
Clarke's work on satellite communication was not without its critics. Some people argued that it was too expensive and impractical. However, Clarke's vision ultimately prevailed, and satellite communication has become an essential part of our modern world.
Today, there are thousands of satellites in orbit around the Earth, providing us with a variety of telecommunications services, including television, radio, telephone, and internet. Clarke's work has made it possible for us to communicate with people all over the world, regardless of their location.

Voyager 2 Loses Contact with Earth, But Hope Remains

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 11:34:00 +0000

Voyager 2, one of the most iconic spacecraft in history, lost contact with Earth on July 21, 2023. This was due to a series of planned commands that inadvertently caused the spacecraft to point its antenna away from Earth. As a result, the stream of data from Voyager 2 is bounding off into space instead of linking up with the Deep Space Network.

The loss of contact with Voyager 2 is a temporary setback, but NASA is confident that it will be able to re-establish contact with the spacecraft in October. Voyager 2 is programmed to reset its orientation several times a year to keep the antenna pointed toward Earth. The next reset is scheduled for October 15, 2023. If all goes well, NASA will be able to re-establish contact with the spacecraft at that time.

In the meantime, Voyager 2 is continuing on its journey through interstellar space. It is currently about 12.3 billion miles (19.7 billion kilometers) from Earth and traveling at a speed of about 38,000 miles per hour (61,000 kilometers per hour). It is expected to continue operating for many years to come.

The loss of contact with Voyager 2 is a reminder of the challenges of operating spacecraft in deep space. However, it is also a testament to the ingenuity of the engineers and scientists who built and operate these spacecraft. Voyager 2 has already surpassed all expectations, and it is still going strong.

The loss of contact with Voyager 2 is a temporary setback, but it is not the end of the story. NASA is confident that it will be able to re-establish contact with the spacecraft in October. In the meantime, Voyager 2 is continuing on its journey through interstellar space, and it is expected to continue operating for many years to come.

If you are interested in learning more about Voyager 2, you can visit the NASA website. There, you can find information about the spacecraft's history, mission, and status. You can also watch videos and read articles about Voyager 2.

Why Arthur C. Clarke Thought Buddhism Would Survive into the Future

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 09:02:00 +0000

Sir Arthur C. Clarke was a science fiction author who was also interested in Buddhism. He said that he was a "crypto-Buddhist," which means that he didn't identify as a Buddhist, but he found the philosophy to be very appealing. He said that he liked the way that Buddhism emphasized the importance of personal experience and that it didn't require any belief in a supernatural being.

Clarke also said that he thought that Buddhism would be the only religion that would survive into the future. He said that this was because Buddhism was not based on dogma or superstition, but on a search for truth and enlightenment. He also said that Buddhism was a very practical religion that could help people to live better lives.

Here are some of the specific things that Clarke said about Buddhism:

"Buddhism is not a religion in the sense that Christianity or Islam are religions. It is a philosophy, a way of life."

"Buddhism is not based on belief in a supernatural being. It is based on the search for truth and enlightenment."

"Buddhism is a very practical religion. It can help people to live better lives."

"I think that Buddhism will be the only religion that survives into the future."

Clarke's views on Buddhism were not without controversy. Some people have criticized him for not being a "true" Buddhist, since he didn't identify as a Buddhist and he didn't follow all of the teachings of the Buddha. However, Clarke's views are still respected by many people, and they have helped to introduce Buddhism to a wider audience.

Sir Arthur C Clarke: Visionary Author and Scientist

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 07:34:00 +0000

Arthur C Clarke was a British science fiction author, science writer, and futurist who is best known for his works of hard science fiction and his predictions about the future of technology. He was also a pioneer in the field of satellite communications and is credited with first proposing the idea of using satellites to relay radio and television signals around the world.

Clarke was born in Minehead, Somerset, England, in 1917. He was fascinated by science and technology from a young age and began writing science fiction stories in his teens. In 1945, he published an article in the magazine Wireless World that proposed the use of satellites for communications. This article is considered to be one of the most important early works on satellite technology.

Clarke's other notable works of science fiction include the novels 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Rendezvous with Rama (1973), and 3001: The Final Odyssey (1997). He also wrote several non-fiction books on space exploration and technology, including Interplanetary Flight (1950) and The Exploration of Space (1951).

Clarke was a prolific writer, and he published over 100 books and short stories during his lifetime. He was also a popular public speaker, and he gave lectures and seminars on science and technology all over the world.

Clarke was knighted in 1998 for his services to science and literature. He died in 2008 at the age of 90.

Clarke's Legacy

Arthur C Clarke was a visionary author and scientist who had a profound impact on the development of space exploration and technology. His works of science fiction explored the possibilities of the future, and his predictions about the development of satellite technology were remarkably accurate. Clarke was also a gifted communicator who was able to explain complex scientific concepts in a way that was both engaging and informative.

Clarke's legacy continues to inspire and inform people all over the world. His works of science fiction are still read and enjoyed by millions of people, and his insights into the future of technology continue to be relevant. Clarke was a true visionary, and his work will continue to have a profound impact on our understanding of the universe for many years to come.

Sir Arthur C Clarke is one of the true geniuses of our time

noreply@blogger.com (Lanka) — Thu, 19 May 2011 07:41:00 +0000

Sci-fi fans gather to remember the man who saw the future

noreply@blogger.com (Lanka) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 08:08:00 +0000

A long, long way from the last resting place of the one who showed them the light, the faithful are gathering. As Arthur C Clarke is buried in his adopted home of Sri Lanka today, those who followed his words are meeting and remembering – at Heathrow.

And these being fans of science fiction, they come in all shapes and sizes. They come as Klingons. They come as Daleks. They come to celebrate a genre that has produced a group of followers that are as strange as some of the storylines.

Every year they gather to discuss what is new in the world beyond our own. But Orbital 2008, Britain's 59th annual National Science Fiction Convention, which started yesterday, is dominated by the death of Clarke last week. And that has meant a hastily re-arranged programme to celebrate the legendary figure's achievements with a series of talks and lectures.

So, there is no place in this year's programme for Klingon language seminars. Of course, this may have come as a disappointment to the man in the Worf outfit supping a pint of lager in the foyer of Heathrow's Raddison hotel, but for the rest of the 1,500 sci-fi fans gathering for the three-day celebration of all things intergalactic yesterday, there were plenty of other things to occupy them.

According to Charlie Stross, one of Britain's most successful sci-fi writers, Clarke, along with Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov, dominated 20th-century writing. "He was the last of them to die. But even if he had not written any science fiction he would have left his mark on the world as the creator of the communications satellite. He did the maths to demonstrate how it would work. He was scientifically rigorous, but also highly readable," he said.

Yet, like Captain Kirk and co, there is it seems more to 21st-century science fiction that Arthur C Clarke.

Among the other topics up for discussion this weekend is the thorny issue of Doctor Who, which despite having won over huge new audiences has received a muted welcome among hardcore fans. Proceedings kicked-off with a discussion over whether its creator, Russell T Davies, was the saviour of British sci-fi, or "just a mad fan with a God complex".

And though it may come as a shock to its fans, the BBC time-slip drama Life on Mars and the follow-up Ashes to Ashes were also generating fierce debate, alongside more traditional subjects such Blake's 7's famously wobbly sets. Tomorrow, delegates will debate whether Sam Tyler's amnesia and time-travelling skills can be explained by the fact that he is really the Master from Doctor Who.

But there was also something on offer for the fetishist wing of the movement in the form of a nightly series of workshops on bondage – topics covered include everything from wrist and ankle ties to whole body harnesses.

And the on-going controversy over Slash, where sci-fi or fantasy characters are placed in on-line relationships – often seeringly sexual – was also being given an airing under the title: "Where Does Slash End and Porn Start?".

According to the organising committee member John Wilson, such tendencies are easily explained. "The majority of sci-fi fans are brighter and more curious than the rest of the population. This means we also have a higher proportion with less vanilla tastes than the rest of the world – this is true when it comes to sex as with everything else. The thing here is that it is purely fantasy – it is all about role-playing." Try saying that in Klingon.

Ref - http://www.independent.co.uk

Geostationary Satellites

noreply@blogger.com (Lanka) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:21:00 +0000

Geostationary Satellites

There are 2 kinds of manmade satellites in the heavens above: One kind of satellite ORBITS the earth once or twice a day, and the other kind is called a communications satellite and it is PARKED in a STATIONARY position 22,300 miles (35,900 km) above the equator of the STATIONARY earth.

A type of the orbiting satellite includes the space shuttle and the international space station which keep a low earth orbit (LEO) to avoid the deadly Van Allen radiation belts.

The most prominent satellites in medium earth orbit (MEO) are the satellites which comprise the GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM or GPS as it is called.

The Global Positioning System

The global positioning system was developed by the U.S. military and then opened to civilian use. It is used today to track planes, ships, trains, cars or literally anything that moves. Anyone can buy a receiver and track their exact location by using a GPS receiver.

GPS satellites orbit at a height of about 12,000 miles (19,300 km) and orbit the earth once every 12 hours.

About 24 GPS satellites orbit the earth every 12 hours.

These satellites are traveling around the earth at speeds of about 7,000 mph (11,200 kph). GPS satellites are powered by solar energy. They have backup batteries onboard to keep them running in the event of a solar eclipse, when there's no solar power. Small rocket boosters on each satellite keep them flying in the correct path. The satellites have a lifetime of about 10 years until all their fuel runs out.

Geostationary Satellites

Geostationary or communications satellites are PARKED in space 22,300 miles (35,900 km) above the equator of the STATIONARY earth. Geostationary satellites are used for weather forecasting, satellite TV, satellite radio and most other types of global communications.

Communications satellite in a stationary position or slot high above the earth.

Satellite dish or receiver installed on a house. These dishes point to a geostationary satellite.

At exactly 22,300 miles above the equator, the force of gravity is cancelled by the centrifugal force of the rotating universe. This is the ideal spot to park a stationary satellite.

At exactly 22,000 miles (35,900 km) above the equator, the earth's force of gravity is canceled by the centrifugal force of the rotating universe. This is the ideal location to park a stationary satellite. The signal to the satellite is very, very precise and any movement of the satellite would cause a loss of the signal.

Sun outages affect a geostationary satellite

Geostationary satellites are fantastic means of communication except for one little problem called SUN OUTAGES. These sun outages happen during March and September when the sun passes the equator. Here is a quote from the book Satellite Technology:

"The elevated temperature of the sun causes it to transmit a high-level electrical noise signal to receiving systems whenever it passes behind the satellite and comes within the beams of the receiver antennas. The increase in noise is so severe that a signal outage usually results. The length and number of the outages depends on the latitude of the earth station and the diameter of the antenna. At an average latitude of 40° in the continental United States, and a 10-meter antenna, the outages occur over 6 days with a maximum duration of 8 minutes each day. With a less directional 3-meter antenna, the outages occur over 15 days, with a maximum duration of 24 minutes."(Satellite Technology, p. 13).

This is obviously very embarrassing to the heliocentric people because the sun is not supposed to move. The sun does move however, and twice a year it is over the equator.

The sun moves across the equator twice a year giving us the vernal (spring) and fall (autumnal) equinoxes.

2 times each year the sun passes the equator as it makes it north-south spiral.

At that time, the sun lies on the celestial equator. The word equinox refers to the fact that, on this day, the night is equal to the day: each is twelve hours long. The sun is directly above the equator, so its rays fall vertically down.

Unfortunately the stationary satellites eclipses the sun and that causes electrical noise or interference to the broadcasting signals.

The Jesuits forgot to change the dictionary!!

Obviously the Jesuits forgot to change the definition of the word EQUINOX in the English dictionary because it still gives the true scientific definition of the word with the sun MOVING across the equator 2 times each year:

"Either of the two times during a year when the sun crosses the celestial equator and when the length of day and night are approximately equal; the vernal equinox or the autumnal equinox."(Webster's Third New International Dictionary).

PanAmSat's Description of sun outages!!

Description

PanAmSat's commercial communications satellites are geostationary, and therefore have orbits that lie near the equatorial plane. During the spring and fall equinoxes, the sun also passes close to this plane. As seen from the ground, the sun seems to pass behind the satellites once per day. During the time when both the satellite and the sun are in the ground station's field of view, the RF noise energy from the sun can overpower the signal from the satellite. It is this loss or degradation of communications traffic from the satellite that is referred to as sun fade, sun transit or sun outage (see diagram).

The duration of the sun outage depends on several things such as: the beam width or field of view of the receiving ground antenna, the apparent radius of the sun as seen from the Earth (about 0.25°), the RF energy given off by the sun, the transmitter power of the satellite, the gain and S/N performance of the ground station receive equipment, along with other factors. All this can affect whether a ground station will experience a complete loss of signal or only a tolerable degradation in signal quality. The exact point at which sun outage begins and ends is difficult to determine since it is a gradual transition. The gain of an antenna falls off sharply outside the 3dB beam width, but it does not immediately go to zero. Therefore, if the sun is just outside the antenna's beam width, it can still contribute noise and degrade system performance. This makes it difficult to define exactly what conditions constitute a sun outage.

How the program works

To aid with sun outage predictions, a parameter called outage angle is defined for the ground station. Outage angle is defined as the maximum separation angle (measured from the ground station antenna) between the satellite and the sun's center, that results in a sun outage. In other words, if the separation between the satellite and sun is less than the specified outage angle, then the station is said to be experiencing a sun outage. Otherwise, the station is not experiencing a sun outage (see diagram).

Stationary satellites need very small motors to keep them in their assigned slot!!

According to the heliocentric theory, the earth is moving at about 1,000 mph at the equator. If the geostationary satellites were moving, they would have to move at a speed of about 7,000 mph to maintain a stationary orbit above a fixed point on the earth. That is about the same speed as the GPS satellites that orbit the earth twice a day. However, GPS satellites are equipped with a rocket engine to maintain their orbit.

Geostationary satellite diagram.

Image of a GPS satellite. Small rocket boosters on each satellite keep it flying in the correct path. The satellites have a lifetime of about 10 years until all their fuel runs out.

Vital link

http://www.reformation.org/

Third Commemoration Lecture of Sir Arthur C Clarke by Dr. Mustafa Din Subari

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:51:00 +0000

Arthur C. Clarke Memorial Lecture

Dr. Mustafa Din Subari

Director General, National Space Agency, Malaysia
on

“How to get a Piece of the Space Cake: Perspective of a Developing Country
- the Malaysian Experience”

Sir Arthur C. Clarke Commemoration Lecture - 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Lanka) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:49:00 +0000

Arthur C. Clarke Memorial Lecture - 2011

Dr. Mustafa Din Subari

Director General, National Space Agency, Malaysia
on

“How to get a Piece of the Space Cake: Perspective of a Developing Country
- the Malaysian Experience”

April 04, 2011
16:45 to 18:20

at the Auditorium of the
Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BMICH Premises), Colombo 07

Ref - www.accimt.ac.lk

Geostationary Satellite Communications - The 1945 Proposal by Arthur C Clarke

noreply@blogger.com (Lanka) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 12:47:00 +0000

The 1945 Proposal by Arthur C Clarke

Sir Arthur C. Clarke's most famous prediction on the future is his proposal of geostationary satellite communications published in the Wireless World magazine in 1945. Not considered seriously at the time it became a reality within 20 years with the launching on 1965 April 6th of Intelsat I Early Bird the first commercial geostationary communication satellite.

A satellite in an equatorial circular orbit at a distance of approximately 42,164 km from the center of the Earth, i.e., approximately 35,787 km (22,237 miles) above mean sea level has a period equal to the Earth's rotation on its axis (Sidereal Day=23h56m) and would remain geostationary over the same point on the Earth's equator. In 2002 the Clarke Orbit had over 300 satellites.

The first reference to geostationary satellites is Clarke's letter to the editor titled Peacetime Uses for V2 published in the 1945 February issue of Wireless World (page 58).

Arthur Clarke in his Scientific Autobiography Ascent to Orbit published 1984 say that he had forgotten about this letter till he was reminded of it in 1968 by the engineering staff of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.

A 150 dpi scanned image of page 58 of an original 1945 Wireless World magazine is linked below. See also the copy edited OCR text in HTML.

Clarke privately circulated in 1945 May a proposal titled The Space-Station: Its Radio Applications in six typed manuscripts. The top copy of that is now in the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. It was reprinted in Spaceflight, Vol 10. no 3, March 1968 pp 85-86 and in Ascent to Orbit pp 57-58.

In Ascent to Orbit Clarke says the paper with original title The Future of World Communications was written in late June and submitted to the RAF censor on July 7th. It was sent to Wireless World on August 13th and accepted on September 1st. The editor had changed title to Extra-Terrestrial Relays and published it in the 1945 October issue of Wireless World (pages 305-308).

The 150 dpi scanned images of pages 305-308 of an original 1945 Wireless World magazine is linked below. Note that the last two pages reprinted in Ascent to Orbit have been reformatted omiting an illustration on page 307 which had no Figure number. See also the copy edited OCR text in HTML.

There is a minor reference to Clarke's article titled Extra-Terrestrial Relays published in the 1945 November issue of Wireless World (page 336).

A 150 dpi scanned image of page 58 of an original 1945 Wireless World magazine is linked below. See also the copy edited OCR text in HTML.

See also details of the Wireless World Magazines imaged above.