International Systems Integration on the International Space Station

Over the next few months, the International Space Station (ISS), and human spaceflight in general, will undergo momentous change. The European Columbus and Japanese Kibo Laboratories will be added to the station joining U.S. and Russian elements already on orbit. Columbus, Jules Vernes Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) and Kibo Control Centers will soon be joining control centers in the US and Russia in coordinating ISS operations and research. The Canadian Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) will be performing extra vehicular activities that previously only astronauts on EVA could do, but remotely and with increased safety. This paper will address the integration of these international elements and operations into the ISS, both from hardware and human perspectives. Interoperability of on-orbit systems and ground control centers and their human operators from Europe, Japan, Canada, Russia and the U.S. pose significant and unique challenges. Coordination of logistical support and transportation of crews and cargo is also a major challenge. As we venture out into the cosmos and inhabit the Moon and other planets, it's the systems and operational experience and partnership development on ISS, humanity's orbiting outpost that is making these journeys possible

Determination of optimal conditions for pressure oxidative leaching of Sarcheshmeh Molybdenite concentrate using Taguchi method

The present research work is based on finding the optimum conditions for pressure oxidative leaching of the molybdenite concentrate to produce technical-grade molybdic oxide (MoO3) with high recovery through further treatment of the filtrate solution. The Taguchi method was used to design and minimize the number of experiments. By using Taguchi orthogonal (L25) array, five parameters (time, temperature, oxygen pressure, pulp density and acid concentration) at five levels were selected for 25 experiments. The experiments were designed and carried out in a high-pressure reactor in the presence of nitric acid as solvent and oxidizing agent for the molybdenite concentrate and its ReS2 content. The optimum conditions for pressure leaching of molybdenite were obtained through using Signal to Noise analysis and modified by using Minitab software prediction tool. Furthermore, the optimum condition for an economical pressure leaching of rhenium sulfide (ReS2) was achieved with the same process. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the pulp density is of paramount importance in this process

Music During the Reformation: Changing Times and Changing Minds

As music developed throughout the early centuries its function changed according to the philosophies and principles governing the culture to which it belonged. This is readily apparent in the church, as one can trace the development of music in the worship service from the Medieval times to the Reformation and beyond. During the Protestant Reformation music’s role in the church changed. My presentation seeks to discover how music was used in the different branches of Protestantism of the time and how its usage compared with other sects; specifically I compared and contrasted what worship would have looked like in the churches of Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and the English monarchies. Building upon this, I then discussed how these reformer’s views influenced the music of the surrounding secular culture and the schools, either hindering music’s development in his respective country or allowing it to flourish and thrive. I next introduce how Luther in particular affected composers after him, specifically using examples from Bach’s works and comparing both of these men’s theological views. The presentation then concludes by asserting that music’s role in worship changed drastically from earlier Medieval times, and the views of the leading reformers changed the way people in the surrounding culture viewed music, influencing both the educational system and many later composers of the Baroque period

The Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM): Exploration of a Former Binary NEA?

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is developing the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) as a capability demonstration for future human exploration, including use of high-power solar electric propulsion, which allows for the efficient movement of large masses through deep space. The ARM will also demonstrate the capability to conduct proximity operations with natural space objects and crewed operations beyond the security of quick Earth return. The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM), currently in formulation, will visit a large near-Earth asteroid (NEA), collect a multi-ton boulder from its surface, conduct a demonstration of a slow push planetary defense technique, and redirect the multi-ton boulder into a stable orbit around the Moon. Once returned to cislunar space in the mid-2020s, astronauts aboard an Orion spacecraft will dock with the robotic vehicle to explore the boulder and return samples to Earth. The ARM is part of NASA's plan to advance technologies, capabilities, and spaceflight experience needed for a human mission to the Martian system in the 2030s. The ARM and subsequent availability of the asteroidal material in cis-lunar space, provide significant opportunities to advance our knowledge of small bodies in the synergistic areas of science, planetary defense, and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). The current reference target for the ARM is NEA (341843) 2008 EV5, which may have been the primary body of a former binary system (Busch et al., 2011; Tardivel et al., 2016). The ARRM will perform several close proximity operations to investigate the NEA and map its surface. A detailed investigation of this object may allow a better understanding of binary NEA physical characteristics and the possible outcomes for their evolution. An overview of the ARM robotic and crewed segments, including mission operations, and a discussion of potential opportunities for participation with the ARM will be provided in this presentation

The Effect of Richard Wagner\u27s Music and Beliefs on Hitler\u27s Ideology

The Holocaust will always be remembered as one of the most horrific and evil events in all of history. One question that has been so pervasive in regards to this historical event is the question of why. Why exactly did Hitler massacre the Jewish people? Why did he come to the conclusion that the Jews were somehow lesser than him, and that it was okay to kill them? What and who were his influences and how did they help form Hitler’s opinions leading up to the Holocaust? Although more than one situation or person influenced Hitler, I believe that one man in particular really helped contribute to Hitler’s ideas, especially about the Jewish people. This man is the famous musician Richard Wagner. While musicologists admit that Wagner was a musical genius, one aspect of his career that is hard to ignore is his strong antisemitism. In addition to speaking about his hatred for the Jews, he also wrote about it in his music, making it hard to glance over. Hitler had been close to the Wagner family, and had an obsessive, cult-like infatuation with Wagner’s music beginning in his childhood. This infatuation with Wagner’s music and his closeness to his later family helped facilitate and solidify his negative views about the Jewish people. In this paper I will explore the antisemitism that is within Wagner’s music and writing, and then I will discuss how Wagner’s antisemitism helped inform, influence, and shape Hitler’s ideas, indirectly assisting in the propagation of the Holocaust

Music and the Mind: Music\u27s Healing Powers

Music makes you smarter: or at least that is what the experts are saying. CDs are sold of Mozart\u27s Sonatas for babies, and parents are urged to give their children music lessons in the belief that music does something to our brains which in turn makes us more intelligent. But is this really true? Does music really affect the brain in the powerful way that scientists are suggesting, or is it hearsay? In this paper I investigate the effects of music on our brain\u27s plasticity and cognition by looking at several different experimental studies. Specifically I will address how music affects brain plasticity, emotion, physical health and linguistic processing, and how these effects in turn make music a beneficial tool for therapy, particularly in patients with Traumatic-Brain Injury (TBI) and Autism-Spectrum Disorder

An Overview of NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) Concept

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is developing the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) as a capability demonstration for future human exploration, including use of high-power solar electric propulsion, which allows for the efficient movement of large masses through deep space. The ARM will also demonstrate the capability to conduct proximity operations with natural space objects and crewed operations beyond the security of quick Earth return. The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM), currently in formulation, will visit a large near-Earth asteroid (NEA), collect a multi-ton boulder from its surface, conduct a demonstration of a slow push planetary defense technique, and redirect the multi-ton boulder into a stable orbit around the Moon. Once returned to cislunar space in the mid-2020s, astronauts aboard an Orion spacecraft will dock with the robotic vehicle to explore the boulder and return samples to Earth. The ARM is part of NASA's plan to advance technologies, capabilities, and spaceflight experience needed for a human mission to the Martian system in the 2030s. The ARM and subsequent availability of the asteroidal material in cis-lunar space, provide significant opportunities to advance our knowledge of small bodies in the synergistic areas of science, planetary defense, and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). NASA established the Formulation Assessment and Support Team (FAST), comprised of scientists, engineers, and technologists, which supported ARRM mission requirements formulation, answered specific questions concerning potential target asteroid physical properties, and produced a publically available report. The ARM Investigation Team is being organized to support ARM implementation and execution. NASA is also open to collaboration with its international partners and welcomes further discussions. An overview of the ARM robotic and crewed segments, including mission requirements, NEA targets, and mission operations, and a discussion of potential opportunities for participation with the ARM will be provided