Okinawans opposed to Henoko airport project in court for second hearing

NAHA, Okinawa — Opponents of a new Marine Corps airport off Henoko gathered Tuesday at a Naha district courtroom for the second round of hearings in their lawsuit demanding the project be stopped at once.
The next hearing is set for July 19.

European and Pacific Stars & Stripes
http://www.stripesonline.com/article.asp?section=104&article=28735

Not reserved for Marines. Save the dugong

Beachfront protesters mark year blocking US air base in Okinawa
" We dont want to be part of the act of killing innocent people by allowing Japan to host a US military base that sends soldiers to Iraq ."

"Marine reserves are not reserved for Marines. Save the dugong," read banners on the rigs. "No war. No base."

Okinawa was seized by the United States in a bloody 1945 battle and returned only in 1972, leading to resentment among some residents about being the base for US troops sent to fight in Korea and Vietnam.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20050418/sc_afp/japanusmilitaryokinawa_050418041759&e=4

Cassini Finds Particles Near Saturn's Moon Enceladus

The Cassini spacecraft has discovered intriguing dust particles around Saturn's moon Enceladus. The particles might indicate the existence of a dust cloud around Enceladus, or they may have originated from Saturn's outermost ring, the E-ring. (Apr. 26)
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/

Protests halt gov't survey work for U.S. base off Nago

Local residents said they are concerned drilling could damage the habitat for dugong, a sea mammal designated a protected species by the Japanese government, as well as coral in the region.
In 2002, the Japanese government and the Okinawa prefectural government agreed to build a military-civilian airport by reclaiming land off Henoko. The agency had planned to begin the drilling survey on April 19 last year.

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/050426/kyodo/d89mqj7g1.html

Solar Sail Technology

NASA engineers and their industry partners are preparing to test two 20-meter (66-feet) long solar sail propulsion system designs.
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/news/releases/2005/05-039.html

Expedition 10 Space Station crew back on Earth

Commander and NASA ISS Science Officer Leroy Chiao and Flight Engineer Salizhan Sharipov, the 10th crew of the International Space Station, landed in the steppes of Kazakhstan in their Soyuz spacecraft at 6:08 p.m. EDT Sunday, after more than six months in space.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

Expedition 10/ESA Deorbit Burn and Landing

April 24, Sunday
11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Expedition 10/11 Farewell Ceremony and Hatch Closing Coverage
- JSC (Hatch Closing scheduled at 11:31 a.m. ET)
2 - 3 p.m. - Expedition 10/ESA Undocking Coverage
- JSC (Undocking scheduled at 2:41 p.m.)
4:30 - 7:30 p.m. - Expedition 10/ESA Deorbit Burn and Landing Coverage
- (Deorbit Burn scheduled at 5:17 p.m.; Landing scheduled at 6:08 p.m.)

April 25, Monday
4 - 5 a.m. - Expedition 10/ESA Landing Site Video File B-Roll Feed
- JSC via Kustanai, Kazakhstan (Replays from HQ at 6, 7, and 8 a.m.)
9 - 9:30 a.m. - Expedition 10/ESA Crew Return B-Roll - JSC via Star City, Russia
11 a.m. - 12 p.m. - Expedition 11 Commentary Coverage - JSC
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Breaking.html

On May 11, NOAA-N Launch

On May 11, 2005, NOAA-N, the latest in the series of advanced TIROS-N (ATN) satellites, will be launched from Vandenberg AFB, CA by a two-stage Delta II launch vehicle.
http://goespoes.gsfc.nasa.gov/poes/spacecraft/noaan_spacecraft.html

launch date of May 22

Discovery's STS-114 mission now has a targeted launch date of May 22, with a launch window extending to June 3.
http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/main/index.html

The Dugongs vs. The Department of Defense

The Dugongs vs. The Department of Defense
"It was indeed a significant trip... American people over there are paying attention to the lawsuit, thanks to efforts by members the Earthjustice." -- Takuma Higashionna, Save the Dugong Network, Okinawa

http://www.earthjustice.org/backgrounder/display.html?ID=103

Successful installation of the ESP-2(External Stowage Platform-2)

NASA technicians lowered a pallet full of International Space Station spare parts into a Space Shuttle payload transportation canister.
Once in orbit, Discovery's crew will anchor the pallet to the Station's airlock for easy access by future spacewalking astronauts.
http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/main/index.html

Base protesters mark one-year anniversary of Henoko sit-in

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — About 450 residents gathered Sunday at Henoko to mark the one-year anniversary of their sit-in protesting construction of a new U.S. Marine base.

“It is high time for the government to stop using their force to push through this plan,” said Takuma Higashionna of Dugong Network Okinawa. The offshore Henoko area is said to be the northernmost feeding grounds of dugong, an endangered sea manatee. “The DFAB (the Defense Facilities Administration local bureau) should cool their heads.”
http://www.stripesonline.com/article.asp?section=104&article=28538

Glitch ends Dart mission early

An experimental robotic spacecraft mission for the US space agency has been aborted due to a fuel problem.
Dart (Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology) had been designed to manoeuvre within 5m (17ft) of the military satellite. The US space agency (Nasa) said Dart reached no closer than 91m (300ft) of its target during the day-long test.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/science/nature/4456441.stm

Expedition 11/ESA Hatch Opening to ISS

April 17, Sunday
12:30 a.m. - Expedition 11/ESA Hatch Opening to ISS Coverage - Korolev, Russia (Hatch Opening scheduled at 1:08 a.m. ET) (Mission Coverage)
3 a.m. - Expedition 11/ESA Docking and Hatch Opening B-Roll Feed - JSC via Korolev, Russia (Mission Coverage)
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Breaking.html

Expedition 11/ESA Docking

April 16, Saturday
9 p.m. - Expedition 11/ESA Docking to ISS Coverage - Korolev, Russia (Docking scheduled at 10:10 p.m. ET; post-docking news conference from Mission Control, Korolev will occur shortly after docking and will be carried on NASA TV)(Mission Coverage)
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Breaking.html

Dart (Demonstration of Autonomous Rendezvous Technology)

Live Coverage: In Progress
Launch Time: 10:25 a.m. PDT
NASA's DART spacecraft is on its way to a rendezvous with the MUBLCOM satellite.
The Pegasus rocket carrying DART successfully launched today following separation from its Stargazer L-1011 carrier aircraft.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/dart/main/index.html

Russia launches new Expedition 11 to the ISS

The Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft, carrying the 11th long-duration crew to the International Space Station, ISS, reached the orbit after a successful early-dawn launch from Site 1 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.
http://www.russianspaceweb.com/

The launch, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, took place at 06.46 local time (02.46 Central European Summer Time).
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMR6DW797E_index_0.html

Shuttle Can Fix Hubble

NASA chief nominee Michael Griffin said Tuesday that he would reconsider his predecessor's decision to ban humans from repairing the ailing Hubble Space Telescope if confirmed for the job.
http://www.wired.com/news/space/0,2697,67204,00.html

Expedition 11/ESA Launch scheduled at 8:45 p.m. ET

April 14, Thursday
12 p.m - Expedition 11/ESA Pre-Launch Crew News Conference Excerpts in Video File - JSC via Baikonur, Kazakhstan (Media News Feed)
4 p.m. - DART Mission Pre-Launch News Conference - VAFB (Interactive Media Briefing)
6:45 p.m. - Expedition 11/ESA Pre-Launch Activities B-Roll Feed - JSC via Baikonur, Kazakhstan (Mission Coverage)
8 p.m. - Expedition 11/ESA Launch Coverage - JSC and Baikonur, Kazakhstan (Launch scheduled at 8:45 p.m. ET) http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Breaking.html

Launch of Soyuz April 14, 8:45 p.m.

Launch of Soyuz to the ISS with ESA astronaut Roberto Vittori on board Baikonur Cosmodrome (Kazakhstan)
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz TMA-6
Launch: April 14, 8:45 p.m.
Spacewalks: 2 Docking: April 16, 10:10 p.m.
Landing: Oct. 7, 2005

R.I.P. Wendy

========================================
--Wendy O. Williams' suicide note
May 28, 1949 - April 6, 1998
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" It's My Life "

"The act of taking my own life is not something I am doing without a lot of thought. I don't believe that people should take their own lives without deep and thoughtful reflection over a considerable period of time. I do believe strongly, however, that the right to do so is one of the most fundamental rights that anyone in a free society should have. For me much of the world makes no sense, but my feelings about what I am doing ring loud and clear to an inner ear and a place where there is no self, only calm . Love always, Wendy."