Randomness

[Kotik]

Heh! I just spotted a lonely plane between Norway and Iceland with the registry RA-64010. I quick google reveals it's a privately owned Russian Tupolev. Aha! An Oligarch, I thought! A little more online digging told me it's probably used by Russian Minister of Finance Alexei Kudrin.

Now I almost feel like a spy!

Hold it there, Mr. Bond

RA-64010 is a Business Aero (operated by Orel Avia) Tupolev-204-300A, which is quite a modern plane actually. However, no Oligarch with a shred of dignity would let himself be seen in a Tupolev, even if it is a rather modern one (built in 1993, later delivered to Aeroflot Cargo). They mostly fly Dassault's and Learjets with the occasional BBJ thrown into the mix RA-64010 is an 18 seat VIP configuration and Alexei Kudrin might have used it once or twice for private purposes, but if he's travelling in his capacity as minister of finance, he'll be sitting in a GTK Rossiya Plane.

Ok, now I don't feel like a spy, but like a complete Anorak.

[putaro]

Ok, now I don't feel like a spy, but like a complete Anorak.

Planespotting now? (BTW, I *like* my fluorescent lime green anorak, thank you very much)

[Kotik]

(BTW, I *like* my fluorescent lime green anorak, thank you very much)

Well, it's not like you would stand out wearing that in Japan When I was in Tokyo, I felt like being caught in a Strobe light, during an LSD Trip.

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

Heh! I just spotted a lonely plane between Norway and Iceland with the registry RA-64010. I quick google reveals it's a privately owned Russian Tupolev. Aha! An Oligarch, I thought! A little more online digging told me it's probably used by Russian Minister of Finance Alexei Kudrin.

Now I almost feel like a spy!

Hold it there, Mr. Bond

RA-64010 is a Business Aero (operated by Orel Avia) Tupolev-204-300A, which is quite a modern plane actually. However, no Oligarch with a shred of dignity would let himself be seen in a Tupolev, even if it is a rather modern one (built in 1993, later delivered to Aeroflot Cargo). They mostly fly Dassault's and Learjets with the occasional BBJ thrown into the mix RA-64010 is an 18 seat VIP configuration and Alexei Kudrin might have used it once or twice for private purposes, but if he's travelling in his capacity as minister of finance, he'll be sitting in a GTK Rossiya Plane.

Ok, now I don't feel like a spy, but like a complete Anorak.

Hey, I stumbled upon an article in a Russian paper (can't remember which one and I didn't bookmark it) that tracked down the uses of airplanes by various VIPs, and this Business Aero was leased to some bank of something where Kudrin is some kind of oversight chairman. It had often been used for purposes other than banking affairs, apparently by Kudrin. The paper was surprised that he didn't use a government plane that often.

[Kotik]

Heh! I just spotted a lonely plane between Norway and Iceland with the registry RA-64010. I quick google reveals it's a privately owned Russian Tupolev. Aha! An Oligarch, I thought! A little more online digging told me it's probably used by Russian Minister of Finance Alexei Kudrin.

Now I almost feel like a spy!

Hold it there, Mr. Bond

RA-64010 is a Business Aero (operated by Orel Avia) Tupolev-204-300A, which is quite a modern plane actually. However, no Oligarch with a shred of dignity would let himself be seen in a Tupolev, even if it is a rather modern one (built in 1993, later delivered to Aeroflot Cargo). They mostly fly Dassault's and Learjets with the occasional BBJ thrown into the mix RA-64010 is an 18 seat VIP configuration and Alexei Kudrin might have used it once or twice for private purposes, but if he's travelling in his capacity as minister of finance, he'll be sitting in a GTK Rossiya Plane.

Ok, now I don't feel like a spy, but like a complete Anorak.

Hey, I stumbled upon an article in a Russian paper (can't remember which one and I didn't bookmark it) that tracked down the uses of airplanes by various VIPs, and this Business Aero was leased to some bank of something where Kudrin is some kind of oversight chairman. It had often been used for purposes other than banking affairs, apparently by Kudrin. The paper was surprised that he didn't use a government plane that often.

RA-64010 is seen quite often in Europeland, bringing VIP's to various Championsleague matches. Guess Mr. Kudrin is a bit of a football nut BTW, Kudrin is a board member of Sperbank - just add an m and have a giggle

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

Goodbye to Michael O’Hare, Babylon 5’s Commander Sinclair

RIP, Valen!

[CX]

This picture perfectly explains the weather up here.


And yes, this is from the same week.

[Weeble]

Didn't snow yet here, but in the last day or so we went from beautiful colors in the trees to wet messy leaves on the lawn.....

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

One-Year ISS Mission, Prelude To Deep Space Ventures, Scheduled For 2015

[dialee]

KTR,

I have been so out of the loop regarding space technology since early days of shuttle program. Do we even know how to create artificial gravity?

As I understand it, human bones disappear the longer the astronauts are in space.

[Kotik]

I don't think we have any means to create artificial gravity. You're right dialee, long stays in space have an adverse effect on muscles and bones, but that can be countered to a degree with a rigorous physical training.

Stays of one year and longer on a space station are not exactly new. The Russians did that 20 years ago on the Mir space station. Valeriy Polyakov, Sergei Avdeyev, Vladimir Titov and Musa Manarov are the four Kosmonauts who stayed one year or longer in space with Polyakov being the record holder with over 430 days.

[Silverbullet]

Not sure, but I once read tat artificial Gravity could be crated by a slow spin of the ship. How that would be done I am not sure.

Once saw a design for a Space station that was round with an inner and outer ring. Bot spun at different speeds crating a gravity. that may, however, been Sci fi.

SB

[Kotik]

I have to correct my earlier statement. We do in fact have means to create artificial gravity. Rotation is one option, linear acceleration being another with diamagnetism a third option.

The russians have apparently experimented with rats being exposed to 1g of artificial gravity on biostaellite missions.

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

Yeah, spinning around is the answer. I firmly believe that for humans to have extended periods in space we need to have habitats (space stations, space ships) that will have the ability to rotate.

It's not that difficult really. You don't need to build a huge ring à la 2001: A Space Odyssey (although that'd be nice). You can just have a smaller cabin put on a tether with some small attitude rockets on the other end. Fire them up to create spin is no more difficult than flipping a shuttle over in space.

If you go to Mars you can change the rotation to adjust the astronauts to Martian gravity en route, and vice versa on the return.

[dialee]

Any ideas on how you move around and do stuff when one is glued to the walls of the ship or station due to centrifugal force?