Super Bowl 50...

Doug Mills / The New York Times

Congrats to Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos for winning the Big Game, 24-10, at Levi's Stadium today! Word has it that this may be Manning's last rodeo before riding off into the sunset after having an illustrious NFL career that now includes two Super Bowl titles. If Manning is thinking about retiring, all I can say is...do it! Like his predecessor John Elway, who won two straight NFL championships in 1998 and '99 before calling it quits as the Broncos' main quarterback, Manning should take advantage of the fact that this can be a fairy tale ending (sorry for the cliché) for him after playing a season that was fraught with injuries to the 39-year-old player. That, and the fact that it would be quite unfortunate if he made it to another Super Bowl, only to be blown out like what happened against the Seattle Seahawks in 2014 (the Broncos got routed by Pete Carroll's team in Super Bowl XLVIII, 43-8).

Another reason why Manning should hang up his cleats: He should avoid Kobe Bryant's present situation. (Supposedly, Manning and Bryant are good pals.) Kobe is about two months away from ending an NBA career that resulted in 5 championships and numerous All-Star Game appearances with the L.A. Lakers. Unfortunately, the Black Mamba is doing so while playing on what is without a doubt one of the worst squads in Laker team history. Kobe will be hanging up his jersey without playing another NBA postseason game ever again. He's ending his career like how Michael Jordan did when he left the Washington Wizards and retired for good in 2004 (the Wizards failed to make the playoffs in the two seasons that MJ was on this team), not how Jordan retired from the Chicago Bulls after making that game-winning shot (we'll overlook that push-off against Bryon Russell) against the Utah Jazz in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. The gist of this post: Manning needs to end his career as a winner...not as a phenomenal athlete who played for one too many years and was forced to leave because age and injuries dictated it (cough-Brett Favre-cough). That is all.

New Horizons Update: More Watery Surprises on Pluto...

NASA / JHUAPL / SwRI

Floating Hills on Pluto's Sputnik Planum (Press Release - February 4)

The nitrogen ice glaciers on Pluto appear to carry an intriguing cargo: numerous, isolated hills that may be fragments of water ice from Pluto’s surrounding uplands. These hills individually measure one to several miles or kilometers across, according to images and data from NASA’s New Horizons mission.

The hills, which are in the vast ice plain informally named Sputnik Planum within Pluto’s ‘heart,’ are likely miniature versions of the larger, jumbled mountains on Sputnik Planum’s western border. They are yet another example of Pluto’s fascinating and abundant geological activity.

Source: NASA.Gov

A MAJOR Milestone for Hubble's Successor...

NASA / Chris Gunn

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Primary Mirror Fully Assembled (Press Release)

The 18th and final primary mirror segment is installed on what will be the biggest and most powerful space telescope ever launched. The final mirror installation Wednesday at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland marks an important milestone in the assembly of the agency’s James Webb Space Telescope.

“Scientists and engineers have been working tirelessly to install these incredible, nearly perfect mirrors that will focus light from previously hidden realms of planetary atmospheres, star forming regions and the very beginnings of the Universe,” said John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. “With the mirrors finally complete, we are one step closer to the audacious observations that will unravel the mysteries of the Universe.”

Using a robotic arm reminiscent of a claw machine, the team meticulously installed all of Webb's primary mirror segments onto the telescope structure. Each of the hexagonal-shaped mirror segments measures just over 4.2 feet (1.3 meters) across -- about the size of a coffee table -- and weighs approximately 88 pounds (40 kilograms). Once in space and fully deployed, the 18 primary mirror segments will work together as one large 21.3-foot diameter (6.5-meter) mirror.

"Completing the assembly of the primary mirror is a very significant milestone and the culmination of over a decade of design, manufacturing, testing and now assembly of the primary mirror system," said Lee Feinberg, optical telescope element manager at Goddard. "There is a huge team across the country who contributed to this achievement."

While the primary mirror installation may be finished on the tennis court-sized infrared observatory, there still is much work to be done.

"Now that the mirror is complete, we look forward to installing the other optics and conducting tests on all the components to make sure the telescope can withstand a rocket launch," said Bill Ochs, James Webb Space Telescope project manager. "This is a great way to start 2016!"

The mirrors were built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., in Boulder, Colorado. Ball is the principal subcontractor to Northrop Grumman for the optical technology and optical system design. The installation of the mirrors onto the telescope structure is performed by Harris Corporation, a subcontractor to Northrop Grumman. Harris Corporation leads integration and testing for the telescope.

“The Harris team will be installing the aft optics assembly and the secondary mirror in order to finish the actual telescope,” said Gary Matthews, director of Universe Exploration at Harris Corporation. “The heart of the telescope, the Integrated Science Instrument Module, will then be integrated into the telescope. After acoustic, vibration, and other tests at Goddard, we will ship the system down to Johnson Space Center in Houston for an intensive cryogenic optical test to ensure everything is working properly.”

The James Webb Space Telescope is the scientific successor to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. It will be the most powerful space telescope ever built. Webb will study many phases in the history of our universe, including the formation of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets similar to Earth, as well as the evolution of our own solar system. It’s targeted to launch from French Guiana aboard an Ariane 5 rocket in 2018. Webb is an international project led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Chris Gunn

Onward to Jupiter: Progress Made by Humanity's Most Distant Solar-Powered Space Probe...

NASA / JPL - Caltech

NASA’s Juno Spacecraft Burns for Jupiter (Press Release)

NASA's solar-powered Juno spacecraft successfully executed a maneuver to adjust its flight path today, Feb. 3. The maneuver refined the spacecraft’s trajectory, helping set the stage for Juno's arrival at the solar system’s largest planetary inhabitant five months and a day from now.

"This is the first of two trajectory adjustments that fine tune Juno’s orbit around the sun, perfecting our rendezvous with Jupiter on July 4th at 8:18 p.m. PDT [11:18 p.m. EDT]," said Scott Bolton, Juno principal investigator at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio.

The maneuver began at 10:38 a.m. PST (1:38 p.m. EST). The Juno spacecraft's thrusters fired for 35 minutes, consumed about 1.2 pounds (.56 kilograms) of fuel, and changed the spacecraft's speed by 1 foot (0.31 meters), per second. At the time of the maneuver, Juno was about 51 million miles (82 million kilometers) from Jupiter and approximately 425 million miles (684 million kilometers) from Earth. The next trajectory correction maneuver is scheduled for May 31.

Juno was launched on Aug. 5, 2011. The spacecraft will orbit the Jovian world 33 times, skimming to within 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers) above the planet's cloud tops every 14 days. During the flybys, Juno will probe beneath the obscuring cloud cover of Jupiter and study its aurorae to learn more about the planet's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere.

Juno's name comes from Greek and Roman mythology. The god Jupiter drew a veil of clouds around himself to hide his mischief, and his wife -- the goddess Juno -- was able to peer through the clouds and reveal Jupiter's true nature.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Scott Bolton, of Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. Juno is part of NASA's New Frontiers Program, which is managed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the spacecraft. The California Institute of Technology in Pasadena manages JPL for NASA.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / JPL - Caltech

Photos of the Day: It's Kobe vs. Pau!

Last Thursday, a couple of friends and I went down to STAPLES Center in Los Angeles to attend a Lakers game against the Chicago Bulls. The Lakers lost, 114-91, but it was cool to see Kobe Bryant play in person one last time before he retires this April [as opposed to May or June (in the middle of the playoffs, or the NBA Finals themselves), unfortunately]. And it was only fitting that we'd see the Black Mamba square off against Pau Gasol..who was the reason why Kobe won two more NBA titles (in 2009 and 2010, respectively) after Gasol got traded to L.A. from the Memphis Grizzlies in early 2008.



Despite the Lakers' loss, I gotta thank my friend Sarina for hooking us up with seats inside The Centurion Suite for the game! It was either that or sitting up in the nosebleed section—and we wouldn't have even sat together. Kinda wish that the hamburger on The Centurion Suite's menu was a bit cheaper, though. I dished out 18 dollars...and the burger didn't even come with fries! Oh well.

Video of the Day: Refugees in Lesbos...

Just thought I'd end this month by sharing this amazing documentary that was shot by actress/comedian Milana Vayntrub late last year. Milana filmed this project (using only her iPhone) after deciding to help the influx of Syrian refugees to the Greek island of Lesbos during what was supposed to be a vacation with her dad last Fall. Milana—who's a refugee herself from the former Soviet republic of Uzbekistan—stayed behind to welcome the new arrivals as they braved the hours-long trip across the Aegean Sea to get to Greece from Turkey. As you can see from the video, Milana witnessed first-hand the struggle of these refugees as they fled the carnage wrought by Bashar al-Assad and ISIS in Syria...and sought to start a new life in Central Europe, specifically in Germany.

As a result of her experience in Greece, Milana (who I had the pleasure of meeting in person last year) also started a charity organization known as Can't Do Nothing. Visit CantDoNothing.org to see how you can help the refugees in Europe. And if you have a Twitter account, use the hashtag #CantDoNothing to tweet and let others know what you did or plan to do to aid folks trying to seek asylum overseas and elsewhere. I myself donated to the Boat Refugee Foundation twice since last October...the most recent donation being last Thursday. Again, visit CantDoNothing.org for more details.

Curiosity Update: The Rover Could SURE Use a Wash...

NASA / JPL - Caltech / MSSS

Curiosity Self-Portrait at Martian Sand Dune (Press Release)

This self-portrait of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows the vehicle at "Namib Dune," where the rover's activities included scuffing into the dune with a wheel and scooping samples of sand for laboratory analysis.

The scene combines 57 images taken on Jan. 19, 2016, during the 1,228th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars. The camera used for this is the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) at the end of the rover's robotic arm.

Namib Dune is part of the dark-sand "Bagnold Dune Field" along the northwestern flank of Mount Sharp. Images taken from orbit have shown that dunes in the Bagnold field move as much as about 3 feet (1 meter) per Earth year.

The location of Namib Dune is show on a map of Curiosity's route at http://mars.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=7640. The relationship of Bagnold Dune Field to the lower portion of Mount Sharp is shown in a map at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16064.

The view does not include the rover's arm. Wrist motions and turret rotations on the arm allowed MAHLI to acquire the mosaic's component images. The arm was positioned out of the shot in the images, or portions of images, that were used in this mosaic. This process was used previously in acquiring and assembling Curiosity self-portraits taken at sample-collection sites, including "Rocknest" (http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16468), "Windjana" (http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA18390) and "Buckskin" (http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19807).

For scale, the rover's wheels are 20 inches (50 centimeters) in diameter and about 16 inches (40 centimeters) wide.

MAHLI was built by Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the project's Curiosity rover.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / JPL - Caltech / MSSS

Photos of the Day: Why Did the Sloth Cross the Road?...

...To get stuck in the middle of the highway, smile adorably for the cameras of police officers coming to the rescue, and go viral on the Internet—that's why!

(All images courtesy of Comisión de Tránsito del Ecuador’s Facebook page.)

THE X-FILES Returns!

Welcome back, Mulder and Scully! Who here isn't surprised that the presidency of George W. Bush made for fertile ground in terms of fueling conspiracy theories that were presented in today's series premiere? God forbid, but methinks that The X-Files creator Chris Carter would have an even bigger field day if Trump wins the election this November (and Carter, who graduated from Cal State Long Beach like I did, decides to re-follow the exploits of Mulder and Scully years from now). Again, GOD FORBID. Fox Mulder would have a lot on his plate—moreso, that is—if he had to deal with living in an America actually governed by Nazi-style government policies...

Anyways, it's awesome to see FBI Assistant Director Skinner and The Smoking Man back as well! 14 years later, and William B. Davis' chain-smoking character is still alive and tickin'. The biggest plot twist by the end of this 6-episode series will be that The Smoking Man injected himself with alien DNA to stay alive for more than a decade. And Mulder and Scully will need the help of the Lone Gunmen to stop him! Man, I missed this TV show...

Photo of the Day: The Joint Strike Fighter and Its New Sidewinder...

Lockheed Martin photo / Chad Bellay

F-35 Fires First AIM-9X Missile (Press Release)

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) -- An F-35 fighter jet from the 461st Flight Test Squadron launched an AIM-9X missile for the first time over the Pacific Sea Test Range Jan. 12.

The flight sciences aircraft, AF-1, of the Joint Strike Fighter Integrated Test Force, was piloted by David Nelson, the Lockheed Martin chief F-35 test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base.

The AIM-9X is an advanced infrared missile and the newest of the Sidewinder family of short-range air-to-air missiles carried on a wide range of fighter jets.

The missile was launched at 6,000 feet.

The shot paves the way for the F-35 to utilize the weapon's high off-boresight and targeting capabilities, increasing lethality in the visual arena.

Source: United States Air Force