Space Shuttle Update (11)

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STS-134: Endeavour at the International Space Station
NASA – This image of space shuttle Endeavour, taken by STS-134 mission specialist Ron Garan on May 19, shows the craft docked at the International Space Station.

Thus far during the 14-day mission, the Endeavour crew has installed the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, delivered spare parts and is conducting the mission’s first spacewalk. This is the 36th shuttle mission to the International Space Station. Image Credit: NASA

Endeavour’s Close-Up
NASA – This close-up view of the crew cabin of space shuttle Endeavour was provided by an Expedition 27 crew member during a survey of the approaching STS-134 vehicle prior to docking with the International Space Station.

The Mission Begins
NASA – Astronaut Mark Kelly, STS-134 commander, gets to work soon after Endeavour reaches Earth orbit. Kelly is seated at the commander’s station on the shuttle’s forward flight deck. Five other veteran crew members are joining the commander on a 16-day mission, much of which will be devoted to work on the International Space Station.

Endeavour racing into space
NASA – Space shuttle Endeavour races into space after lifting off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Endeavour began its final flight, the STS-134 mission to the International Space Station, at 8:56 a.m. EDT on May 16. Image credit: NASA/George Roberts and Mike Kerley

Endeavour rising on twin columns of flame
NASA – Space shuttle Endeavour rises on twin columns of flame from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Endeavour began its final flight, the STS-134 mission to the International Space Station, at 8:56 a.m. EDT on May 16. Image credit: NASA/Tony Gray and Tom Farrar

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• Shuttle docks, astronauts to install $2 billion device, Irene Klotz, Reuters

Why It’s Hard to Replicate Silicon Valley’s Successes Abroad

BOOK REVIEW – High Tech Start Up, Author: John Nesheim
By Elizabeth Charnock – Laws that take the position you’d better be sure you’re able to succeed or else tend to influence society in the same direction—and 180 degrees away from the atmosphere of Silicon Valley in which startups appear, vaporize, and reform literally every day. Indeed, this characteristic is the unique strength of Silicon Valley.

Despite the obvious differences in locale, the problems of the EU and Michigan are nearly identical, except for the highly startup-unfriendly EU laws. Further, both have this problem: Making fundamental change is next to impossible given the sheer size and complexity of their bureaucracies and democratic systems. more> http://twurl.nl/m463g3

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• Sarkozy’s Web initiative faces reality check, Georgina Prodhan and Leila Abboud, Reuters

Hungary Tells the IMF to Take a Hike

By Leigh Phillips – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is sticking to his government’s position that the country will not impose further austerity measures and has said that there is “no point” in continuing talks with the International Monetary Fund.

He said that the country should walk away from dealing with the international lender and negotiate only with the EU. “Once it expires, we no longer have to negotiate with the IMF, but with the European Union…We have to agree with the EU, not with the IMF, how we will reduce our budget deficit…to less than three percent,” he said. more> http://twurl.nl/byc84u

New Technology Integrates Phone Antennas into Decorative Films

By Doug Smock – Economic integration of high-powered, tiny antennas in mobile phones is rapidly becoming a major quest by many materials and manufacturing companies globally.

In future devices, the number of antennas could grow to 16 to cover bandwidths such as GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi, as well as RFID for near-field communication applications. But they must be contained within a shrinking – not expanding – space.

Bayer MaterialScience has developed and applied for a patent on a technology in which polymer electronics are printed on polycarbonate films already used to decorate phones. more> http://twurl.nl/1xeobv

TV station reveals serious security flaws with RFID-equipped credit and debit cards

By Jean-Pierre Joosting – Commenting on a consumer TV report into the insecurity of RFID-equipped credit and debit cards, SecurEnvoy says that the apparent ease with which researchers have been able to create a `magic wand’ that reads cards at a distance shows that more work needs to be done on wireless encryption.

“The report from the Portland, Oregon-based TV channel Katu, in which researchers found that $20-worth of electronics could read the card details of payment cards in people’s wallets and purses, at a range of four inches, is very worrying,” said Andy Kemshall, technical director of the 2 factor authentication company. more> http://twurl.nl/45c2fb

related>

• ‘Magic wand’ can pick your pocket of credit card info, Shellie Bailey-Shah KATU.com