Hello, Missile

“Hello, I am the YAL-1 Airborne Laser--a megawatt-class chemical oxygen iodine laser mounted inside a modified Boeing 747-400F. My design directive is to destroy tactical ballistic missiles and Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles while in boost phase. From 300 to 600km away, I can target a climbing missile and fire my laser for up to 5 seconds, weakening the missile and causing failure from high speed flight stress. Air turbulence deflects and distorts the laser beam, so I use adaptive optics to compensate for atmospheric errors."

"Also, I am a talking laser airplane."

Soviet Engineering Project of the Week

Like with endless tundra, vodka, and socialist dictatorships, Russia does huge cargo planes better. This is the Antonov 225. Built in 1988, it is the largest plane in the world, at 276 feet long and weighing nearly 1.5 million pounds. As you can see, it carries SPACE SHUTTLES. Shuttles. That go to space.

Take that, puny American c-5 Galaxy!


Of course, like most Soviet Engineering Projects, the AN-225 was left to languish after the collapse of the USSR along with the defunct Buran space shuttle program. Unlike the Buran, however, the remaining An-225 was not destroyed in the collapse of an abandoned airplane hanger (another post). A test flight was conducted in May 2001, and the An-225 might yet grace the Russian skies again.

Space: The Most Hugest of Awesome Things

So, while the following link contains pictures not of some testament to the hubris of mankind (hubris of the universe, perhaps), it was certainly made possible by our orbiting satellites.



Views of Jupiter

Now, pick your jaw up off the floor and continue about your day.

FLIP: The Scripps Ship that Flips!

Meet FLIP, the Floating Instrument Platform:



Often mistaken for a capsized ship, the FLIP vessel is designed to tilt 90 degrees, flooding the lower portion and converting its upper bulkhead to floors. This unique configuration facilitates the measurement of wave height, acoustic signals, water temperature and density, and for the collection of meteorological data.

Deep. Literally