We did an experiment about solar energy and how different distances and spectrums of colors can effect the energy produced through a solar cell. We learned that obviously that the closer the distance of the solar power that more energy we are going to receive.

In these graphs above, you can see that the voltage received with the colors was less than without the filter. Also as stated before the second graph states that the farther away a source of energy is the less voltage the panel is going to give out.

Although this video is alittle exaggerated it could be somewhat what the first steps on Mars could feel like. It is said that by 2030,  manned missions to Mars is possible and affordable. There are just some changes that need to happen first. “A workshop group of more than 60 individuals representing more than 30 government, industry, academic and other organizations has found that a NASA-led manned mission to Mars is feasible if the space agency’s budget is restored to pre-sequestration levels.” There would also need to Private industry support in order for this to happen. Budget issues are the most important part in order for this to happen.

In 2004, the Bush administration started to say that by 2020 there would be a manned mission to Mars, but they need to raise a billion dollars more. Then the budget issues started to happen and things got pushed back. “Bush proposed spending $12 billion over the next five years on the effort. About $1 billion of that will come from an increase in NASA’s budget, while the other $11 billion would come from shifting funds from existing programs within NASA’s current $86 billion budget. The overall NASA budget would stay at about 1 percent of the federal budget, according to White House figures.” Raising NASA’s budget would help them accomplish much more that they wouldn’t have been able to before.

I think it is great that people are interested this much into actually traveling to space to a place noone has ever been to. The good thing about this trip is unlike the Apollo mission, the United States will welcome International participation to help out. This is a big step for the U.S.A.

Mars Initiative – Funding the First Human Mars Mission

http://www.space.com/24268-manned-mars-mission-nasa-feasibility.html

http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/01/14/bush.space/

Going to see the Plasma reactor at MIT was very interesting. It was hard to focus on everything that was said during the presentation because I had no idea what was being talked about but once we entered the room where the reactor was, I was quickly intrigued. To know that an enormous amount of energy can be created from something so small was what caught my attention. I never knew what plasmas were until before this trip. I learned that plasmas are everywhere.

Going to MIT to see the Plasma reactor is a once in a lifetime experience and I am glad I went to see it.

Nowadays i think people are scared of using nuclear energy because of the negative affects it could have on them. The negative affects could be drastic for everyone. After the explosion in Tokyo, people were more informed about the negative affects of radiation reaching them in California because of the negative things that could happen in Tokyo.

Nuclear power has many positive benefits but the main one would be that it is one of the cleanest forms of energy for us to use. It is also one of the strongest energy sources we could use. There could be tremendous  repercussions if the radiation of the nuclear plants reached people but the positive effects are much greater.

I am between the fact of using nuclear energy. I cannot decide if it would be as beneficial as they say it is. If I were to be pro-nuclear energy, I would have to see that there could be smaller or no negative repercussions.