Bob Hunkins dot com

More on the Antarctic Habitat

SpaceRef has an article on the Inflatable Habitat module here. The article does a good job of explaining why it's being done, and the advantages of such structures.

My part in this was developing some of the software as well as integrating most of the sensors into the computer system. I also assembled the PC104 system shown in the picture below:

There are two computers, the first is the black laptop - an HP compaq system. The second is the PC-104 system I put together. It is accessed remotely using remote desktop protocol. There's no video screen, although it is loaded with a Windows XP OS.

Both of the computers can collect data - via USB hubs (Two wireless, and two wired hubs). The PC104 system also has 8 RS-232 serial ports on the back(unseen in the photo).

There is a wireless camera system (The White Motorola box next to the PC104 is the receiver)

The PC104 has a 5GB solid state hard drive which supposedly will withstand cold temperatures better than standard laptop hard drives.

We will see how the two systems stand up to prolonged operation in the habitat environment at McMurdo base. Hopefully both will operate smoothly for a long period of time uninterrupted.

Antarctic Habitat

Since returning to the work force in late June , I've been involved in developing a data acquisition system for a habitation module that is a possible prototype for a lunar version.

Here's an article about the project.

Tull

Jethro Tull has always had great music. I was introduced to them in 1982 when "Broadsword and the Beast" came out.
Here's a youtube video I found from that era showing Mr. Anderson and company performing in front of a bunch of Germans who just don't get it.

Why we need to increase our supply of Oil and gasoline

OK. Purely selfish entry here.

Decreasing the supply of oil in this country by not opening up new drilling fields and building new refineries has caused the US to explore using more ethanol in place of gasoline. This has caused the price of corn to go up. Farmers are planting more corn because they can make more money than with other crops.
So the supply of barley has gone down, and therefore the price of malt has gone up.

This means that it costs a lot more to make homebrew AND the cost of beer has gone up.

I'm not happy about this. First 'they' make it more expensive to trail my sailboat to out of town regattas, and now 'they' make it more expensive to brew beer.

What's next? Taking away Christmas? Cancelling Thanksgiving? Electing Hillary Clinton?