Here is the latest NASA weekly report on activities related to the Int. Space Station:
Sci-Tech: Chinese EHANG184 drone designed for single passenger transport
The Chinese company EHANG is developing the EHANG184, an electric powered quadcopter style vehicle that is large enough to transport a single passenger. The vehicle flies autonomously, with no input from the passenger other than specifying the destination.
- The EHang 184 Is A Human-Sized Drone Taking Off At CES – TechCrunch
- Drone able to transport humans shown at Consumer Electronics Show by Chinese drone company – Next Big Future
Specifications – Click for larger image.
From company’s description of the vehicle:
Ehang 184 AAV [Autonomous Aerial Vehicle] is the safest, Eco-est and Smartest low altitude autonomous aerial vehicle, aiming on providing Medium-Short Distance communication and transportation solution.
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The 184 AAV is designed with full redundancy – If one set of the power system are operating abnormal, the vehicle can still operate a normal flight plan and ensure the safety of the passenger together with the vehicle.
The 184 was designed to be a 100% with green technology, and is powered by electricity only.
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Four arms and eight propellers offer great lifting power and safety. Even with one propeller malfunctions, it can still land in the nearest possible area safely.
The 184 AAV has embedded with Ehangen fail safe system. If any components malfunction or disconnect, the aircraft will immediately land in the nearest possible area to ensure safety.
The communication is encrypted and each AAV has its independent key.
This video describes the background and goals of the project:
The EHANG184 is somewhat similar in concept to the German Volocopter, which is also derived from VTOL drone designs.
Cinespace short film competition invites submissions for 2016
I recently highlighted the 2015 winners in the CineSpace short-film competition sponsored by NASA and the Houston Cinema Arts Society (HCAS). NASA officially opened the 2016 competition this week:
‘CineSpace’ Short Film Competition Returns for 2016
NASA and the Houston Cinema Arts Society once again will offer filmmakers around the world a chance to share their works inspired by — and using — actual NASA imagery through “CineSpace,” a short-film competition.
The inaugural year of CineSpace drew 194 entries from 22 countries and 32 U.S. states. Sixteen finalists premiered their films at Houston Cinema Arts Festival’s CineSpace Day at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Filmmakers brought new visions to life using real-life space imagery from NASA telescopes and robotic spacecraft exploring our solar system and beyond, to sights captured on the International Space Station where men and women have been working off the Earth, for the Earth for more than 15 years.
Films featuring NASA-captured imagery and video collected throughout the agency’s 50-year history will be judged on creativity, innovation and attention to detail: the same hallmarks of spaceflight. Works submitted to CineSpace will compete for cash prizes and the opportunity to be shown to audiences both on and off Earth.
In addition to being screened at the CineSpace awards ceremony during the Houston Cinema Arts Festival, winners and finalists may be screened at other film festivals across the country, as well as on NASA TV and even on the International Space Station.
The competition is open to all filmmakers, both professional and aspiring. Submissions of all genres, including narrative, documentary, comedy, drama, animation, experimental and others, up to 10 minutes running time, will be accepted. Entries must use at least 10 percent publically available NASA imagery.
Academy Award-nominated director Richard Linklater once again will serve as the judge in selecting the finalists.
The submission period opens June 1, 2016, and closes July 31, 2016. Finalists and winners will be announced at a CineSpace event during the Houston Cinema Arts Festival in November. Entries will be competing for $26,000 in prizes with cash awards going to the top three submissions as well as the two films that best demonstrate the themes “Benefits of Space to Humanity” and “Future Space Exploration.”
NASA’s journeys into air and space continue to power inspiration that encourages future generations to explore, learn and build a better future. Humanity has used the vantage point of space to increase our understanding of our home planet, improve lives and safeguard our future. The next decade of exploration will be a time of rapid technological advancement and innovation as humanity stands poised to make the journey to Mars.
The Houston Cinema Arts Society is a nonprofit organization created in 2008 that organizes and hosts the annual Houston Cinema Arts Festival, a groundbreaking and innovative arts festival featuring films and new media by and about artists in the visual, performing and literary arts. The Eighth Annual Houston Cinema Arts Festival will take place from Nov. 10-17, 2016.
For more information on CineSpace, competition guidelines and the submission process, and to view the 2015 winners and finalists, visit: www.cinespace16.org
To browse NASA video and imagery, visit: www.nasa.gov/content/download-nasa-videos-for-cinespace
For more information about the Houston Cinema Arts Society, visit: www.cinemartsociety.org
For more information about the Houston Cinema Arts Festival, visit: houstoncinemaartsfestival.org/
Afghan astronomy fans take big risks to view the night sky
While astronomy enthusiasts in many countries complain about inconveniences such as light pollution and cloudy weather, the members of the Afghanistan Astronomy Association must overcome truly dangerous challenges to view the night sky with their telescopes: Amateur Afghan Astronomy Is Risky Business – Newsweek.
Afghanistan’s war has taken a devastating toll on civilians: death, displacement, poverty. But it also affects lives in unexpected ways. For the country’s small band of amateur astronomers, exploring the universe’s deepest corners is a risk they now rarely take. The increasing encroachment of the Taliban, criminal gangs and aggressive police checkpoints means they now limit observations to the outskirts of Kabul city or their rooftops. “The places where there are the darkest skies, almost all those places are insecure,” says Ibrahim Amiri, 26, one of the youngest members of the Afghanistan Astronomy Association.
His eyes shine as he describes the high altitude and low light pollution of Badakhshan in the north and the open horizons of Kandahar in the south, both perfect regions for stargazing. “But we could be attacked by anyone [there]. Not just Taliban or ISIS, but even the local people,” he explains. “Afghans, especially villagers, are usually not very comfortable with people they don’t know or things they don’t understand.”
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Yunos Bakshi standing with one of his telescopes in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Bakshi is the founder of Afghanistan’s first Astronomy Association.
Image by Jeffrey E. Stern. Afghanistan, 2013.
Fourth Annual Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival – Jan.14-17 in NYC
The Philip K. Dick Film Festival opens soon:
Great sci-fi is steadily approaching as The Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival returns to New York City for its fourth annual event from January 14-17, 2016. The four-day festival, screening at the magnificent Village East Cinemas (181-189 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003), has announced its full schedule of events which includes a record 80 films from over 20 countries and several film premieres. The event is the city’s first and only science fiction film festival so make sure to experience every bit of the thrill ride there is to offer.
Highlights from the exciting lineup include Clones starring Rutger Hauer (Blade Runner); Genghis Khan Conquers the Moon starring Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle); The Mill at Calder’s End starring Barbara Steele (Black Sunday); the NYC premiere of Chatter starring Richard Hatch (Battlestar Galactica); The Art of Human Salvage starring Edward James Olmos (Blade Runner); The Future Perfect starring Zachary Quinto (Star Trek); the NYC premiere of The Incident starring Raúl Méndez (Netflix’s Narcos); the world premiere of Dean Philips’ short film Tap Tap Tap; the USA premiere of The Worlds of Philip K. Dick documentary and the NYC premieres of documentaries Sympathy For The Devil: The True Story of The Process Church of the Final Judgment featuring George Clinton and Travis: The True Story of Travis Walton.
Philip K. Dick Film Festival 2016 Trailer from The Philip K Dick Film Festival on Vimeo.
The festival (visit thephilipkdickfilmfestival.com) is excited for another year in offering the very best of independent science fiction film while celebrating the enduring legacy of Philip K. Dick, the most visionary and prolific author of the modern era.