Commercial space shuttle prototypes fly through wind tunnel testing

A pair of companies developing their own commercial space shuttles are presumably trying to flatten their hair after some rigorous wind tunnel testing. First up, Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos (the guy behind Amazon), which has largely quiet on its efforts to shuttle astronauts to the International Space Station. Its Space Vehicle setup will plump for a biconic shape (seen above), with a flattened side and a split flap. According to Blue Origin's president, Rob Meyerson, the shape allows greater volume than traditional designs, but forgo the "weight penalty" of winged craft. Compared to earlier capsules, the Space Vehicle's shape, with its fuselage flap to generate lift, should also give it better control on re-entry to earth.

Juggling for wind tunnel time, Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser has also been blasted with smoke to test its own air resistance credentials. Its module would lauch from the top of the rocket, and glide (as much as anything that costs this much can) back to earth like NASA's own space shuttles. The Dream Chaser is planning its first flight for this fall. You can check out its more traditional take on the future of space travel after the break -- and decide which of the two you'll want sending your children to the mines.

[Picture credit: Blue Origin, SNC]

Continue reading Commercial space shuttle prototypes fly through wind tunnel testing

Commercial space shuttle prototypes fly through wind tunnel testing originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry Music Gateway streams audio over Bluetooth, pairs with NFC for RIM-made remote control

It's not the QNX-based smartphone you've all been waiting for, but it should give crackberry devotees something to bop along to. Outed just one day before the company's showcase officially kicks off in Orlando, Waterloo's trotting out its BlackBerry Music Gateway: a car / home stereo accessory that pairs with your BB handset or PlayBook tablet to wirelessly stream audio over Bluetooth with an NFC assist. The $50 peripheral, set for a June release, is meant to turn your RIM-built device into an easy-to-use remote at a distance of up to 30 feet. For that convenient near field communication control, however, you'll need to be packing one of the company's NFC-enabled phones, like the Bold 9790 or Curve 9360/ 9380. Splashiest news to come out of BlackBerry World 2012? We sure hope not. Consider this the trickle before the eventual PR deluge.

BlackBerry Music Gateway streams audio over Bluetooth, pairs with NFC for RIM-made remote control originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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My Idea of a Good Draft Choice (Powerlineblog)

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Lohan, Clooney Share an Evening with Obama (WSJ)

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Michelle Obama: My Girls Prefer to Skip White House Sleepovers

"I thought I would have kids over every weekend," Obama admits. "So it's surprising."

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Leaked T-Mobile roadmap outlines Ice Cream Sandwich updates, new myTouch devices

Looks like our friends over at TMoNews have unearthed a roadmap with some tasty morsels of info about what's coming down the pipe from T-Mobile USA in the next few months. Of course, none of this is set in stone or even confirmed, so take it with a grain of salt.

Most interesting is a pair of dates for Ice Cream sandwich updates, with Magenta's Galaxy S II slated to receive Android 4.0 on May 14th, followed by the Sensation 4G and Amaze 4G getting ICS (with Sense 3.6, presumably) on June 16th.

A bunch of device launches from Samsung and Huawei round up the list of dates, with no sign of HTC's One X, Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S III, or T-Mobile's rumored Galaxy Note variant. Sadness. Check out the entire bounty below.

• May 9th: Huawei Astor (low-end phone for 7-Eleven)
• July 11th: Huawei Buddy and Phoenix (myTouch QWERTY and slate, respectively)
• July 11th: Samsung Gravity TXT (new color)
• Aug 1st: Samsung T159 Cacao (low-end handset)
• Aug 15th: Samsung Apex Q (mystery device)

Leaked T-Mobile roadmap outlines Ice Cream Sandwich updates, new myTouch devices originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 22:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Delmon Young Arrested for Alleged Anti-Semitic Tirade

Delmon Young, the starting left fielder for the Detroit Tigers, was arrested this morning outside a midtown Manhattan hotel after the former first round draft pick allegedly got into a fight with a panhandler wearing a yarmulke.

Police told The New York Post that Young starting screaming at the homeless man upon being approached for change, shouting ""F--king Jews! F--king Jews!"

The incident took place around 2:40 a.m. and Young proceeded to get into a physical altercation with men who confronted him about his tirade. He scratched one on the arm and pushed another to the pavement.

Sources say hotel employees rushed to the scene, sent all parties to their rooms and called 911. They added that Young appeared "highly intoxicated" before he was arrested and taken to the Midtown North Precinct.

Young, who has just one home run this season, is in town because the Tigers are scheduled to face the Yankees tonight.

A couple years ago, during a game against the Pawtucket Red Sox, the problematic outfielder threw a bat at an umpire.

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