Inexpensive Civilian Space Flights are Around the Corner

With the alignment of recent political and commercial interests, the near orbital space flights will significantly go down in price in the next few decades opening up doors for space tourism.

It's been several years since Space Adventures Inc. with Russia's RSA launched their first commercial customers in space for $20M each. However, the future promises much cheaper flights available to a wider range of civilians within a decade or so. After the breakup of USSR and the end of the Cold War NASA's funding has decreased. At this point most of their effort concentrated under the umbrella of exploration is targeting past-Moon missions, like Mars Exploration Rover, leaving the orbital space and the only Earth's satellite to the commercial sector.

The key to affordable space tourism is spacecrafts built with commercial purpose in mind. One great idea was to motivate a private sector with a large prize. After the launch of X Prize competition with $10M prize to the first company who builds a spacecraft able to take 3 people to near-orbital heights two times in a week, a number of designs made it to the finals with SpaceCraft1 winning the competition in October 2004.

Google announced its Lunar X Prize competition in September 2007 and has already 15 registered teams with deadline set to December 31, 2010 (2014 latest) to send a robot to the Moon, rover it for half a kilometer and transmit visual information back!

Space Adventures Inc., the same company that launched Denis Tito and Mark Shuttleworth to space, announced the plan to deliver up to 3 civilians to the far side of the Moon as early as 2010 for $100M per seat. Now, that's a bit pricey, but it's a first step for non-government sponsored Moon exploration!

I don't know what other superpowers are thinking about this topic, but if the governments would not allow their commercial sector to enter that business, they would miss out a lot of opportunities in innovation, publicity and financial areas. I think opening up part of the orbital space is a great idea that will inspire people of all ages around the world, motivate the creative minds and cruise us through the Space Age with larger benefits for humanity.

Links:
Holiday in Outer Space
SpaceCraft1
Google Lunar X Prize
Moon tourism
Picture of Martian sunset taken from Gusev's crater (Mars)

Painful Drink Mixing Test

Asking for trouble

Last night I have executed a rather painful test. I'd like to advice not to do the following, which is quite obvious.

I came back home after my Aikido class and was fairly tired and thirsty. I had a 3-4 week old soy milk, water melon that had to be finished and a few bananas past their ripe period. With the ease of a pro, I've mixed everything up with a blender and drank it. Also, a bottle of sparkling wine was standing open in my fridge from some other occasion. I decided that I needed more "liquid" and went for it, while watching to some show. Guess what happened after... actually nothing much, just a funny feeling in my stomach.

I blame it all on watermelons.

September Weekends in Vancouver

More and more I start enjoying the downtown of Vancouver. Intensive hiking and road trip months of the summer are coming to the end with the appearance of warm colors of maple trees. At this point I realize that I've done enough exploration of the West Coast to satisfy my adventure seeking soul for now and let the other side of myself to develop at a professional and personal levels.

It is the second weekend since July of me staying in the city enjoying the calm life of Vancouver. Last weekend Alex S. came down from Seattle, which of course called for all you can eat sushi and rich in calories breakfasts with coffee. I love them as much as I love the days beginning and ending with those. In most of the cases it means that there are friends out of town that I haven’t seen for a while. It also means conversations with them will be much enjoyed as we’ve missed each other’s presence.

This Sunday while I was enjoying Internet browsing in downtown's Blenz Coffee place with Dasha at Robson and Bute, there was a man sitting right beside us in huge headphones listening to music from his laptop and non-distractively tapping with his fingers on the table from time to time. When he was about to leave I asked him whether he was a musician. The man appeared to be a composer, also multimedia artist and a poet.

Roland Bastien started his career in Avan-Garde scene in 1979. He collaborated with numerous artists and wrote over 70 chamber music scores and 100 piano solo scores. As a composer, was the finalist at Elisabeth Schneider Foundation in Germany in 2000. He performed as a pianist. He won the overall prize at The Fourth International Poetry Competition in 2006. Some of his poems that he wrote after 90's are greatly influenced by his interesting life experience during Buddhist Monastery journey.

Here are some of Roland's Haiku and poems ( poems section).
Perhaps, an empty taught

For now,
Revenons a nos moutons (come back to what we were doing),
As French would say,
And I am back to codes and antennas

Explore it!

A week ago I woke up in the morning and realized that it’s been 14 months since I moved to Vancouver from Toronto last year. For a moment I stared into the ceiling remembering what I have done to learn about Vancouver, British Columbia the West Coast overall.

I pleasant smile appeared on my face. Good memories of road trips, hikes and discovery of West Coast with friends came back to me. I felt satisfied.

Over the last year, at least partially I was able to capture the natural beauty of British Columbia; its calm mood; its great adventurous outdoors; its mountains with snow peaks and the oceans full of sea life as sea stars visible right from Horseshoe Bay’s pier; harbor seals and sea lions; Orca whales, Humpback whales and Grey whales swimming in the waters of Vancouver Island – all of them within the driving distance from the city where I spent over a year of my life!

British Columbia made a significant impact on my life's outlook. I am passionate about nature. BC allowed me to explore it. I learned a lot. I learned about myself.

I would like to encourage everyone of you to go out there and explore the place you live in, whether it is West or East Coast, Northern Territories or US. And for those living in BC, I would like to encourage to discover the Beautiful British Columbia, the Best Place on Earth (as BC license plates shamelessly point it out to the rest of the world).

When rain hits Vancouver...

I spent this weekend in Vancouver enjoying city life and in the meanwhile learning Ruby on Rails, the popular language used in many Web 2.0 websites. The original plan was to check out hot springs near Pemberton on Sunday (see next post) with a friend from Seattle, but the rainy weather affected our plans. We ended up staying in the city, drinking lattes, playing with Ruby and checking out Korean Sauna and Spa located close to Coquitlam mall with a group of friends.

On Saturday, my friend from work threw a house warming party at his newly bought place. The theme was "Hats" with mandatory compliance or no beer. I saw vikings, witches, monks and even a disco fro--it was like Halloween without blood painted faces, but still with beers, wines and flaming sambuka. To be fair not all rainy weekends end up being that flaming warm.

Aikido in Irkutsk

My friend Alex K just came back form Irkutsk, one the Far East cities of Russia. Apparently, there is Aikido Dojo there as well. Most likely Aikikai. Here is the picture.I’ve been training Aikido Yoshinkan for several years, first, under Nick Mills Sensei (Sendokan Dojo), and then under Robert Mustard Sensei (Aikido Burnaby). This weekend I am going to Seattle for demonstration of at 10th Annual Matsuri (Japanese Festival) 2007. We’ll be performing a 30-40 minute demo there. Check out the website: http://www.enma.org/.

In the memory of my Grandfather

I still remember the night before I found out the news of my grandfather’s passing away. It was the last night before my final exam. I spent it studying, thinking about wireless concepts taught by Stanford’s professor. Inconspicuous classical music was playing in the background. In the breaks I was thinking about the upcoming summer, adventures and guests that I would show around Vancouver and BC. One of the guests was supposed to be my grandfather who had his university summer vacation from July 20 to September 20. He was waiting for visa that would allow him to visit his daughter and granddaughter in Toronto and grandson in Vancouver.

It was his dream. We talked a lot about it over the phone. We tried not to build big plans, but I knew I would show him everything I found out about the West Coast during my last year living here – more than I ever showed to everyone else who visited me here so far! We would have talked and talked, and felt each other’s presence. Conversed about anything, on any topic! He was a cool grandfather. Being a professor for many years, he knew how to talk with young guys, joked all the time and created a wonderful aura during the conversation. He was an optimistic guy, and a noble man. There are so many great memories associated with him that now it is impossible to think of “Deda” and not to either smile or feel sorrow.

I will remember him positively. There will be more smiles reflecting from memories of him than grief and tears. He emphasized bright mindset and hard work, generosity to people and warm friendships. It was him who has made a great impact on shaping my character both, during my childhood and beyond, for which I am truly grateful.

The night before the news inconspicuous classical music was playing in the background. It was Rene Gruss’ Bellatrix that I still remember. It almost felt as I wanted to change something there in the speed of his notes and accents. Something that my mind wanted to make more melodic in this already beautiful composition full of emotions. It seemed as I did not agree with something, yet listened to it and could not resist. I only realize it now, months after.

Bellatrix stayed in my mind for the rest of the following day while I was searching for last minute tickets to Ottawa, Toronto and Belarus. It still comes up in my memory as a soundtrack of the peaceful yet tiring night of fighting with my body to keep myself awake while learning as much material as possible before the exam – a peaceful summer night without higher worries. I remember sitting outside on a balcony during my break drinking coffee few hours before the sunset, looking at the dark blue sky, and trying to remember that night positively, enjoying what I was doing – just like my grandfather taught me! I am grateful that I am your grandson!

My grandfather, also Victor, died at the age of 75. He will forever stay in my heart as a man, who managed to show me great examples of life and optimism, and inspire for hard work. I keep his photograph in my album that he sent me a year ago. On the back, he wrote: “To my dear grandson for a good memory (of him). Be commendable, at least in most things”.

Lunar Eclipse

Finally! It'll happen this upcoming Tuesday!
http://www.universetoday.com/2007/08/03/upcoming-total-lunar-eclipse-on-august-28th-2007

My Roommate Experience

About a month ago, I've found out that I've got a roommate - a little mouse. At first, I've started mentioning a little noise coming from the kitchen. When I went there, it disappeared. When I left the kitchen, it reappeared again. Finally I saw the raison d'être of the unusual sound running at a speed of light from under the stove toward my sofa. It was so fast, that it even slipped and slid a bit on its side on the smooth kitchen floor like a motorcycle on the track, but unlike the motorcycle, it recovered and booted even faster. After looking at its size and (khmm..) cuteness, I’ve decided to leave the issue as is and don’t bother about the mousetrap.

I’ve told a story to friends at work and outside and we’ve had a good laugh about it. With guys at work we’ve made up a few ways to catch the mouse without hurting it. I was going to blast the music at maximum one day and put a piece (lomtik) of cheese on the ground so that a mouse would eat it, and while it’s being distracted by both, the music and gourmet food, I would be able to catch it by covering it up with a cup. That’s all jokes though, of course.

Now, a month after, as I was checking my kitchen counters, I’ve found out that one my oatmeal boxes had a hole in it. By looking at “traces” of little black animal aftereffects, I concluded that my roommate was definitely there. The amounts of aftereffects suggested that it was there more than once.

Also, while transferring some files from my cell phone, I saw a few groves from little teeth on the USB cable. “In panic”, I’ve rushed down to the pile of cables and boxes where I keep all my computer goodies and started checking rigorously whether anything else was “probed”. Luckily enough, for now, nothing else suited its taste and at least looked untouched.

That’s it! This relationship is over, little tail! I am reporting you to the superintendent. Your destiny is in his hands now.

PS

An interesting conclusion can be made from this story. Out of all the food that I store in the counter (instant rice, noodles, even regular rice), the one mouse has chosen was the healthy oatmeal. Hmm, makes you think what’s better for you, the bleached instant rice, dehydrated noodles or the oatmeal that I hate so much. Maybe it’s time to think once again about it and cook the right food next time – the food chosen by nature, by a mouse – which cannot be tricked by flashy labels, especially "instant" that "saves" us so much time.

Heavy Vancouver rains flood water supply

Over the last month in Vancouver there was so much rain (warm tropical rain from Hawaii) that our water supply system has been flooded. Officially from Thursday/Friday it was suggested not to drink from tap. At work, all the tea and coffee machines have been shut off. Useless water filter stations now have signs warning of the hazard. On Friday morning at one of the Costco stores in Vancouver a fight has been started .... a fight over a bottled water!

So, now, the official safe drink is beer for most of people and cola for the ones that cannot take the smell of the first one (?what the heck?). Beer with toast in the morning. Beer during lunch with sushi and, finally, beer at night with the main meal. I believe it's more healthier now than the tap water.

Now, since we do not have a clean water supply in the company and since before that all of the drinks including tea and coffee were free as well, I think beer should be supplied for free for the time being and supported as a solution for water hazard problem. I will raise that question on Monday. It should boost the productivity of engineers.

Finishing University...

After exams, after projects, after five aggressively interesting years of studying and internship have passed since I've stepped onto the ground of McMaster University campus, I am finally done! The Engineering Ring that has been praised by Canadian Engineers since 1922 has finally found its owner. To tell you honestly, I am happy.

Going back in history, five years ago, somewhere in March during one of McMaster's tour days, I have visited the campus for the first time. I remember it as a shiny day full of new faces, guys and girls, serious and happy, looking at everything with large eyes. The whole new world in front of them had promised the new atmosphere to breath in, the new friendships to start, the new challenges to overcome. The “large eyes” might be an exaggeration, but that's my way of telling that there is a huge difference between a frosh and a graduate student (or not?).

(I will continue in the next post as it is 1 am and I am really trying to get on Europe time before the trip, even though this is not happeing for now : )

Gettin' ready to eat SPAM

My blog had been spammed after I've posted the first message. Instead of cursing the spammers, I've remembered about good summer days. I will explain. During the second half of summer 2005, I've discovered about SPAM ham - a really delicious brand of ham, canned and ready for camping - at least that is my application for it. Out there, in the wild, it pleases you every second during its consumption and digestion, suggesting to smile and enjoy the good times.

Here is an image of me and SPAM. I can freely say: "Spam is good and useful!" - and not feel bad about it.

First message

Sitting at my work, having a late lunch, I came across this page.

What a great nifty service. I've seen Blogger before, I even saved a link in my favourites. Funny enough, it took just several years for me to actually open an account. Only after I saw a link under Google's additional tools!

That pic is taken by my friend Nazar, while Volodya is holding a kite - his new toy he've picked up while working in Miami - several meters above the ground.

Cheers