NASA to launch probe to map solar system's edgeAlicia Chang , The Associated Press , Los Angeles | Sat, 10/18/2008 1:08 PM | Sci-TechThis artist rendering released by NASA shows the Interstellar Boundary Explorer or IBEX spacecraft in space. (AP/NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Walt Feimer)This artist rendering released by NASA shows the Interstellar Boundary Explorer or IBEX spacecraft in space. (AP/NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Walt Feimer)A small NASA spacecraft embarks on a two-year mission this weekend to give scientists their first view of the happenings at the edge of the solar system. The Ibex probe, short for Interstellar Boundary Explorer, will study a chaotic region in space where the solar wind from the sun clashes with cold gases from interstellar space.The solar wind, a stream of charged particles spewing from the sun at 1 million miles per hour, carves out a protective bubble around the solar system. This bubble known as the heliosphere shields against most dangerous cosmic radiation that would otherwise interfere with human spaceflight.Scientists recently discovered that the solar wind pressure is at its weakest level in 50 years, although the exact reason remains a mystery. Ibex could help confirm whether the heliosphere is shrinking.Observations from Ibex should help researchers in "unlocking the secrets of this important interaction between the sun and the galaxy," said David McComas of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. He is chief scientist for the $165 million mission.Ibex, the size of a bus tire, will be launched aboard a Pegasus rocket that will be dropped from an aircraft over a Pacific atoll on Sunday.The rocket will lift Ibex 130 miles above Earth and put it into orbit. The spacecraft will then fire its solid rocket motor to loft itself even higher, eventually to 200,000 miles above Earth.Ibex will build on the discoveries of the long-running twin Voyager spacecraft launched in 1977 to explore the outer planets. The deep-space, manmade probes have since sailed past the outer planets and are headed out of the solar system.Unlike the Voyager craft, Ibex will not barrel through space, but instead will do its job from high-Earth orbit. The probe carries two sensors that will collect information about the solar wind's mass and energy from all directions.
NASA to launch probe to map solar system's edge | The Jakarta Post
Police Raids Pertamina HeadquartersFriday, 17 October, 2008 | 23:50 WIBTEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The police yesterday came to the head office of state-owned oil company PT Pertamina and confiscated documents linked with an alleged corruption case involving Zatapi crude oil imports.Around 61 documents and software were taken away by the Corruption Crimes Directorate of the National Police. "The confiscated documents include auction papers, winner company profile, and a decree," reported Brig. Gen Jose Rizal, Corruption Crime director last night.Rizal said the search was carried out following the authorization from the Central Jakarta District Court. The police are confident they will identify possible parties involved in the Zatapi oil procurement from the confiscated documents. "There may be new suspects," Rizal said.The search was done on the 15th and 17th floor of the Pertamina headquarters at 1-A, Merdeka Timur Street, Central Jakarta. The investigators, wearing black jackets and vests with the words 'Corruption Crime Investigator' on it, arrived at 3PM.
Tempointeraktif.com - Police Raids Pertamina Headquarters
World Bank Increases Loan to IndonesiaFriday, 17 October, 2008 | 23:55 WIBTEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Indonesia will receive an additional US$ 500 million loan from the World Bank next year, making a total of US$ 1,9 billion from the previous US$ 1,4 billion."The loan will be used for refinancing and ongoing programs such as infrastructure, education and health, " announced State Minister of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Board chairman Paskah Suzetta yesterday.The World Bank is also ready to provide a standby loan of US$ 2 billion.Paskah explained that the standby loan will only be disbursed if Indonesia's economic growth is less than six percent next year.
Tempointeraktif.com - World Bank Increases Loan to Indonesia
Greenpeace Discovers Illegal Logging in Nabire
TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Greenpeace announced it had found evidence of illegal logging activities in Kaimana, West Papua, carried out by two companies whose licenses had been suspended. "We found evidence that the operation was in progress. These activities are illegal," said Greenpeace forestry campaign person for Southeast Asia, Bustar Maitar in a press release.The finding was a result of monitoring by Greenpeace from their ship, the MV Esperanza, which arrived in Papua on October 7 for the "Forests for Climate" campaigns. Esperanza is observing the impact of deforestation towards global climate change, decline in biological diversity and destruction in sources of revenue for people dependent on forest products. The ship is currently on its way from Jayapura to Manokwari in West Papua, and will continue their activities in Indonesia until November 15.According to Bustar, by monitor from the air over Nabire last Monday, Greenpeace found that logging companies PT Kaltim Hutama dan PT Centrico were still operating at the log pond in Nabire. Some of their heavy machinery was seen carrying timber and trucks were seen lining up around their wood storage site. "The company's Forestry Concession Right is for the Kaimana area, but their log pond is located in Nabire," Bustar said.Greenpeace has called on the Indonesian government to conduct a comprehensive evaluation on logging companies causing serious damage to forests in Papua and other parts of Indonesia. He also asked the company to cease their operations temporarily pending the results of the government's assessment. "The company is undergoing a legal process," Bustar Maitar told Tempo, who joined the MV Esperanza when it sailed last Monday.
Tempointeraktif.com - Greenpeace Discovers Illegal Logging in Nabire
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