Posted By RichC on September 8, 2006
Although there is a very tight window on Saturday due to “traffic” in space (that what they said!), space shuttle Atlantis, crew and ISS payload will attempt to get into space on Saturday, September 9th at 11:15 a.m. EDT. Today’s (Friday) launch attempt was delayed due to a fuel sensor system problem.
Posted By RichC on September 8, 2006
The shuttle Atlantis sits on the pad this morning is set for liftoff from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at 11:41 a.m. EDT this morning BUT comments being made at 10AM indicate that they are having some problems with the fuel shutoff circuit – the ECO sensors. That is considered a launch stopping concern and could postpone the launch until Saturday … stay tuned. Also another issue relating to possible water leaking into a cover which could lead to a debris problem was just discovered. (10:30AM)
The STS-115 crew is set to install the 17.5 ton P3/P4 truss on the International Space Station, activating a new set of solar arrays that will double the outpost’s ability to generate power from sunlight.
Update from NASA website -Sept. 8, 10:05 a.m. EDT
The hatch into Atlantis’ crew cabin has been locked and sealed for flight following the seating of all six STS-115 astronauts inside the ship. The crew members continue to flip switches and power up the orbiter’s systems as the countdown to an 11:41 a.m. launch marches on. The weather in the Kennedy Space Center area is pleasant with temperatures in the upper 70s and wispy clouds fanning across the sky.
Earlier in today’s countdown, launch controllers detected a problem with one of the four ECO sensors inside the hydrogen portion the space shuttle’s orange External Tank. The sensors monitor hydrogen levels inside of the tank and trigger the orbiter’s engines to shutdown when gas levels drop below a specified level. NASA managers are currently meeting to examine the issue and determine if Atlantis is capable of safely launching.
Posted By RichC on September 8, 2006
Ford Motor Company continues to try and rebuild its reputation as a solvent American car company with the internet based “Bold Moves” campaign. The recent update after announcing Alan Mulally the new President and CEO is a video clip on their segment leading F-150 pickup truck. I’ve often believed that American pickup buyers would be the most receptive bunch to a smaller and quieter diesel? (hinted in the video) Why are they so slow in bring it to market?
Eric Bryant in a recent Ford promotional article commented that as you “travel around the world, one thing becomes decidedly clear – Americans are basically the only ones to use pickup trucks as private vehicles.” Americans purchase nearly 2,500,000 full-size trucks every year, which is about 15% of all passenger vehicle sales, according to Bryant. Of that ‘full-size’ market segment, Ford remains the leader and the domestic three dominate with about a 90% market share. Is this about to change? We’ll see if Ford’s “bold moves” will be enough to defend their turf … I find myself as a Ford shareholder and ‘prideful’ American … hoping they can.
Posted By RichC on September 7, 2006
Everyone with a car, truck or SUV has noticed the drop in gasoline prices at the pump … but not all vehicle ‘fuels’ are seeing that same relief. (an 80 cent difference is about all a ‘diesel’ owner can take!) Anyway, I did a little digging today in hopes an expert might be able lend some insight on “what is going on” and found some help through a friend in Chicago.
Tom McCready is a institutional futures trader and he was willing to talk with me a few minutes as to what he sees. His conclusion is that last year refined fuel inventories were low as Katrina came ashore and impacted the refinery production supply of gasoline. Crude oil continued to rise which created a nervous market and so prices were traded up.
According to Tom, refineries were working as quickly as possible to get back to 100% with the stimulus being that they were the beneficiaries of high fuel prices. They had a real incentive to produce all the gasoline they could during summer driving season. Also contributing to higher prices were the events in the Middle East as well as predictions for an active summer/fall hurricane season.
Now, we have strong supplies of refined gasoline, the summer driving season is over, turmoil in the Middle East has wained, and we’ve yet to see a significant threat to refineries from hurricanes. This equates to lower ‘gasoline’ prices and futures trading that can move as quick in the other direction.
According to McCready, he doesn’t see diesel, jet fuel or heating oil in excess, besides they have their traditional peak season ahead. The inventory and stepped up refining was not the same as it was for gasoline. He had no comment on the switch from LSD to ULSD; I have heard from others in the industry that suppliers are struggling to get enough Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel to market.
Your thoughts?
Posted By RichC on September 6, 2006
Its not Florence brewing somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean like a previous delay, but is a Fuel Cell problem. Space Shuttle Atlantis was scheduled to launch Wednesday afternoon with highly ambious mission to add two truss elements (see post) and significant upgrades to the International Space Station. The crew of STS-115 consists of Commander Brent W. Jett Jr., Pilot Christopher J. Ferguson and Mission Specialists Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, Joseph R. Tanner, Daniel C. Burbank and Steven G. MacLean, who represents the Canadian Space Agency.
According to an early morning press briefing, the launch will be postponed for at least 24 hours because of a short (a spike and drop in voltage) in the fuel cell coolant motor after the cell was activated. The Mission Management Team is scheduled to meet at 1pm EDT today, and a news conference will follow.
Posted By RichC on September 5, 2006
I don’t think there is anyway for me to update all the happenings in new alternative fuel announcements in Ohio, but an email popped into my box confirming a new 100 million dollar facility in northwestern Ohio by the Broin Companies. According to the press release, the Sioux Falls, South Dakota company will build a facility in Leipsic, Ohio, south of Toledo. The company has indicated that they will hire 40 employees and produce approximately 60 million gallons of ethanol from Ohio grown corn each year.
Posted By RichC on September 5, 2006
Preliminary drilling tests have indicated that a deep-water Gulf of Mexico well could increase the oil and natural gas reserves in the US by 50% according to news Tuesday. The Jack 2 well by a Chevron, Devon Energy and Norway’s Statoil has been “very encouraging” commented Stephen Hadden, Senior Vice-President of exploration and production. According to the news articles being published today, the lower-Tertiary formation in the Gulf of Mexico could hold up to 15 billion barrels of oil and gas reserves, more than Prudhoe Bay in Alaska. (currently the US largest oil field) This discovery is even a 1/3 larger than the controversial Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil reserves estimated at 10 billion barrels of recoverable oil.
With this new find, one would expect that the recent crude oil price decline should continue. Currently crude oil is trading around $68/barrel. We’ll see if it show up at the pump … although I’ve noticed prices in Ohio about 70 cents per gallon lower than the $3.00/gallon summer high only a few weeks ago. (spotted $2.26/gal for unleaded regular gasoline at a Marathon Station in NE Ohio this morning)
Posted By RichC on September 5, 2006
Labor Day also marks another annual event — TDIFest. Most likely if you know what a TDIFest is this post will not be worth reading … you were either their or have been following the 2006 event online. For those of you still following, the TDIFest is the annual gathering of Volkswagen Turbo Direct Injected (TDI) “diesel” vehicles.
This years 2006 ‘Fest was held in eastern Pennsylvania (Valley Forge, PA) where Ernesto made an appearance as well. Rain may have soaked a few, but it didn’t seem to dampen the good times had by all. The TDIClub founder, Fred Voglmaier from British Columbia Canada, was there to welcome all and oversee several events. Our thank go out to him for his tireless effort in keeping the TDIClub forum servers up and running for another year. Although I wasn’t at this years TDIFest, the CinciTDI club did have a couple representatives make the trek. According to all the posts and comments that I have read, everyone had a good time despite the rain. Besides the many threads and comments over at the TDIClub Forum, Mike (Driver_Found) from Philadelphia posted a great slideshow of photos here. (Click Slideshow) *If you are interested in TDIs be sure to register at the TDIClub.com … and while you’re at it come visit us at CinciTDI.com too.
Besides meeting and greeting all the familiar faces and putting them with ‘screennames,’ there was much to do. From tests of skill, to sipping a few cold ones … there was something for everyone. Great job to the Valley Forge planning crew; the bar has been moved up again!
Posted By RichC on September 4, 2006
Naturalist and noted Australian naturalist Steve Irwin, known to most as “TV’s khaki-clad Crocodile Hunter” was killed while filming a new documentary Monday. He was known to push the limits of how close to come to some of the world’s most deadly animals. Irwin’s unfortunate accident came while diving off a reef in northern Queensland, Australia when “He came over the top of a stingray and the stingray’s barb went up and went into his chest and put a hole into his heart,” said manager John Stainton A helicopter rushed paramedics to where Irwin (44 years old) was taken although it was already too late.
A Reuters news account stated that “Irwin’s death was likely only the third recorded fatal stingray attack in Australia. They said stingray venom was agonizingly painful but not lethal, although the barb was capable of causing horrific injuries like a knife or bayonet. “It’s not the going in, it’s the coming out,” Australian Venom Research Unit deputy director Dr Bryan Fry told Reuters.
Steve Irwin was admired and chastised by many naturalist for his “living on the edge” stunts and encounters. He will be missed if for nothing else his addictive TV personality. If you’ve ever watched him, who can forgot his descriptive comments on whatever creature he was teaching his audience about.
Posted By RichC on September 3, 2006
If you’ve ever been around Cincinnati, Ohio on Labor Day weekend you most likely have seen (or at least heard of) the annual fireworks display. This year was the 30th year and the display was better than ever. It was 45 minutes of mind-boggling color, smoke and noise. In Cincinnati, you know what fireworks are all about if you’ve seen the spectacular WEBN/Toyota sponsored display.
Local radio station, WEBN, and Toyota sponsor the annual Riverfest fireworks show that provides the over half million people from Ohio and Kentucky the biggest pyrotechnic display I’ve ever seen. I recall our first display ten years ago when my wife commented that “this must be what fireworks are like in heaven.” Besides the 500,000+ who line up on both sides of the river, countless others watch the WKRC Channel 12 simulcast set to music. This year it was a wide mix by WEBN’s Joel Moss which included some original material by Booty Collins and well as music from AC/DC to Frank Sinatra to Jimmy Hendrix’s “Purple Haze.” It always is a spectacular show and this 2006 year was no exception. If you find yourself anywhere near Cincinnati on Labor Day, do yourself a favor and take in the fireworks.
