i blame dictionary.com for this......

Space anomaly stumps scientists

By Kimm Groshong
Staff Writer

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE - For unknown reasons, the Pioneer 10 and 11 missions NASA launched in the early 1970s have traveled slower in the far reaches of the solar system than scientists expected.
Explaining that bizarre behavior has posed a perplexing problem to scientists for the last 10 years.

And, although they consider it the least likely explanation, some scientists say the spacecraft's behavior could be a manifestation of new physics.

Last week, an international group of scientists, including two researchers from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, submitted a proposal to the European Space Agency for a mission devoted to solving the conundrum, known as the "Pioneer anomaly."

"If (the source) is something new, then my god, it's just out of this world," said Michael Nieto, one of the proposers, from the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The most logical explanation would be a systematic source, such as a gas leak from the propulsion system. However, a nearly eight-year study of those possible causes amounted to "no smoking gun," said Slava Turyshev, one of the researchers on that study and the ESA proposal from JPL.

And scientists have looked into "just about everything we can think of," Nieto said.

What really puzzles scientists, Turyshev said, is that the anomaly is constant with respect to time and distance from about 1 1/2 billion miles away from the sun to about 6 1/2 billion miles out. And the anomalous behavior has been observed in other deep space vehicles such as Voyager and Ullyses.

Nieto said interest in determining the root of the Pioneer problem "is growing in the ether."

But for the most part, that interest in the space community has blossomed in Europe more than in the United States, he said.

In the five months between May and September, Europe has hosted three meetings related to the Pioneer anomaly, with a large one completely devoted to the problem in Bremen, Germany, in May.

The other JPL proposing researcher, John Anderson, said European interest in the problem is historically motivated. "There's always been a strong interest in gravity in Europe," he said.

This mission would fall into that category because there is some thought that a unifying theory such as string theory, that would bring together gravity and the three other forces of nature, could help explain the anomaly, Anderson said.

Turyshev said part of the reason the United States seems less interested in such a mission is the focus on the Vision for Space Exploration to put humans back on the moon and eventually Mars.

"The budget for fundamental sciences is extremely tight at NASA right now," Nieto said. "So although there might be interest, it is harder right now."

The scientists also are looking into the possibility of piggy-backing an instrument or module on a larger NASA spacecraft headed to the outer fringes of the solar system, such as JPL's proposed Interstellar Probe mission.

Of course, no one knows what the anomaly will ultimately reveal.

But a recent paper by Nieto and Turyshev states, "If the anomaly is a manifestation of new or unexpected physics, the result would be of truly fundamental importance. However, even if the anomaly turns out to be a manifestation of an unknown systematic mechanism, understand it will affect the way small forces will be handled in future precision space navigation."

the manuscript of John Palifox Key

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hahaha, it was html code.. for a lot of hard returns.

Roflmaololggkthxbyeroflcoptorlollerskateswtfsauce

haha.. er that wasn't my ctrl v

this is
<li><a href="/site/contact/">Contact</a></li>

now that's screwy

Eyeball Potion

8 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed
Blueberries or raisins
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 large package gelatin, any red flavor
1 cup cold water
Ice cubes
Using a small ice-cream scoop, place 2 scoops whipped
topping into each of 10 dessert dishes for "eyeballs."

Place a blueberry or raisin in each scoop for the
"pupil." Freeze 30 minutes, or until firm.

Meanwhile, stir boiling water into gelatin in large
bowl at least two minutes until completely dissolved.

Mix cold water and ice cubes to make 2-1/2 cups. Add
to gelatin, stirring until slightly thickened. Remove
any remaining ice. Pour about 1/2 cup gelatin around
the two "eyeballs" in each dish, leaving the top of the
"eyeballs" exposed. Refrigerate 1-1/2 hours, or until
firm.

...apparently you've met MD.

now that's frightening

I have to agree with that.

Oh, looks like you're wrong!

Your item was processed and left our FEDERAL WAY, WA facility on October 16, 2004. Information, if available, is updated every evening. Please check again later.

That shirt is very becoming on you...but if I was on you....I would be cumming too.

"All I'm looking for is a guy who'll do what I want, when I want, for as long as I want, and then go away. Or wait nearby, like a Dust Buster, charged up and ready when needed."