Orion's Successful Return to Earth

Orion capsule splashes down in the Pacific (Credit NASA)

Orion nears Earth on its return (Credit NASA)

Orion views the Earth above the Moon's horizon (Credit NASA)

Orion at its furthest point from Earth viewing the Moon and Earth (Credit NASA)

Disney to acquire green methanol powered cruise ship

Credit: Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise line has decided to purchase the cruise ship Global Dream which will be the first sea vessel in the cruise industry to be powered by carbon neutral methanol. The utilization of methanol also avoids the toxic fumes associated with marine diesel fueled vessels. 

The Global Dream is currently under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany.  The cruise ship is being designed to accommodate up to 6000 passengers and 2300 crew members.  Disney expects the vessel to be delivered in the year 2025. 

Carbon neutral methanol can be produced from urban sewage, agricultural animal waste, and from syngas produced through the pyrolysis of urban garbage, agricultural crop waste, and the dead trees and potentially fire hazardous foliage from forest. But in the near future, green methanol could also be produced from the synthesis of hydrogen produced from nuclear, solar, wind, and hydroelectricity synthesized with CO2 directly extracted from the atmosphere or from the flu gases of biomass pyrolysis plants or methanol electric power plants using green methanol. 

 

Links and References

 Disney Cruise Line buys 1st green methanol-powered mega cruise ship

Disney Cruise Line Takes on Methanol-Fuelled Cruise Ship

Disney Cruise Line acquires new green methanol-powered ship

GLOBAL: Disney buys partially completed methanol-fuelled cruise ship

Deploying Ocean Nuclear Energy Flotillas into International Waters for the Carbon Neutral Production of Synthetic Fuels, Industrial Chemicals, and Fertilizers

The Case for Deploying Underwater Nuclear Reactors to Remote Exclusive Economic Zones

Siting Ocean Nuclear Power Plants in Remote US Territorial Waters for the Carbon Neutral Production of Synfuels and Industrial Chemicals

The ocean’s nuclear energy reserve

 

 

Launch of the Artemis 1

 

 

Links and References

Deriving Economically Sustainable Crew Launch Vehicles from the SLS

Boeing's New HLV Concept could be the DC-3 of Manned Rocket Boosters

The Functional and Economic Value of Repurposing Spent SLS Core Stages

Deploying a Ginormous SLS Derived Dry/Wet Workshop Habitat with a Single SLS Launch

The Logistical Viability of an SLS EUS Derived Reusable Lunar Crew Lander

Methanol: The Best Fuel We've Got

 

A Common Sense Solution for Homeless Populations in the US

 

by Marcel F. Williams

State governments need to set up  state licensed areas that are secured and continuously cleaned and maintained--  outside of  towns and cities. These would be rural areas where transient populations can get free food, free shelter, free health care at local free clinics, free mental care, and also have immediate access to free drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities. Such licensed areas would also be excellent locations for state mental hospitals for individuals who are a danger to the community or to themselves.


A variety of housing and campsite options can be built and located in such areas where people in nearby towns or cities would be hired to provide services for transient populations and to protect and maintain facilities within transient areas. So such state licensed transient facilities would also create jobs.


But trying to integrate transient populations into urban environments-- are doomed to failure. People who are drug or alcohol addicted or severely mentally ill usually feel no need to obey the laws within a town or a city.


As American citizens, transients obviously have the right to visit towns and cities at their leisure-- but such individuals should not be-- above the law-- and  be allowed to camp out or sleep on city streets or to commit minor crimes or any other crimes. Transients who disobey urban laws should be immediately transported by state law enforcement to licensed transient facilities where they could face up to 48 hours of jail time or up to ten days of mental health observation or drug or alcohol rehab-- before being released back into the transient community at state licensed transient facilities. 


Churches and homeless advocates could also provide additional services for transients in such state licensed rural areas.

 

Links and References

 Deinstitutionalization: A Psychiatric Titanic

 Is it time to bring back asylums?

Deinstitutionalization of People with Mental Illness: Causes and Consequences

Deinstitutionalisation

Bipedal Robot's 100 meter run

Alice Electric Airplane's First Flight

 

 

Links and References

Alice electric airplane

Eviation