Machining Blog

A few nice precision grinding solutions photos I located:

Apollo 14 Docking Ring

Image by jurvetson
Milled from a strong block of titanium, with twelve docking latches, it’s a marvel of precision design in the era just before CAD/CAM.

The Smithsonian believed this was the CM docking ring from Apollo 14 Command Module, and had paperwork to assistance that. I believe it is the sister unit, a massive structural engineering element employed for ground testing to try to recreate the series of docking failures experienced early in the Apollo 14 mission with the probe that was brought back (normally the docking probe would be left behind). Hence the Apollo 14 label on the base and description at the Bonhams’ auction:

NASA’s selection to fly Apollo missions using a lunar orbit rendezvous method required the development of a system to join, separate, then rejoin two spacecraft. This method also had to enable astronauts to move internally amongst the Command and Lunar Modules. The flight configuration chosen was an impact technique consisting of a probe situated at the forward end of the Command Module (CM) and a funnel-sort drogue positioned at the best of the Lunar Module (LM). The CM’s probe was mounted to the docking ring, which supplied a point of structural integrity for the two docked cars once the probe was removed. Removal of the probe developed a tunnel so the crew could travel among the docked automobiles. A series of latches about the docking ring locked the vehicles with each other. The tip of the probe had a set of 3 small capture latches which were created to hold the cars collectively extended enough that the bigger docking ring latches could be engaged.

Just following the Saturn V’s third stage sent Apollo 14 on its planned trajectory toward the moon, Shepard along with astronauts Edgar Mitchell and Stuart Roosa skilled difficulty docking the CSM to the LM. Five attempts have been made but the docking probe capture latches never ever engaged to safe the two cars with each other. This could have scrubbed for the second time in a row a lunar landing mission. With the failure of Apollo 13 due to a Service Module oxygen tank explosion, a scrub of the Apollo 14 lunar landing would most surely have provided ammunition to those in Congress lobbying for an early termination of the Apollo System.

Right after nearly 2 hours of delays and on the sixth attempt, with Roosa holding the CSM tight with the LM for several seconds, the latches ultimately engaged. The crew then activated the series of larger latches mounted along the docking ring to obtain a &quothard dock&quot configuration. Though they were lastly docked, Mission Handle and the crew’s concern shifted to the possibility that the method could fail when it was most required, the redocking of the LM Ascent Stage following Shepard and Mitchell’s return from the moon. If this occurred the crew could be forced into performing a space walk in order to return to the CSM. The lunar rocks and scientific data may possibly have to be abandoned in the LM pending the precise situations of a potential lunar orbit docking issue. The probe was thoroughly inspected by the crew for the duration of the coast period to the moon and they sent detailed verbal descriptions plus tv photographs to Mission Handle. Considering that the probe now showed standard operation of the capture mechanism, NASA created the selection to proceed with the planned mission.

The redocking while in lunar orbit was completely regular. The docking probe (usually jettisoned with the LM) was returned to earth for inspection and evaluation.

NASA and spacecraft manufacturer North American Rockwell performed an exhaustive series of tests to the docking program. All components (probe, latches, docking ring) had been tested &quotin place&quot with the recovered Apollo 14 CM, then each was removed for a series of combined and person tests. The docking system dilemma was a major purpose the docking ring was removed and in no way re-installed into the Apollo 14 CM. Post-flight evaluation of tv, motion picture film, accelerometer data, and reaction control system thruster activity indicated that probe-to-drogue get in touch with conditions have been as anticipated for all docking attempts. The probe’s capture latches should have worked on each and every of the first 5 docking attempts. A plunger-kind component in the capture latch failed to attain a forward or locked position most likely due to some type of foreign debris or contamination. A alter in the size of the plunger due to temperature was an further possibility. Internal damage to the capture-latch mechanism was ruled out as the cause because the technique functioned properly in all subsequent operations following the sixth docking attempt and throughout post flight testing. The debris or contamination most likely became dislodged soon after the fifth docking try, enabling the system to operate appropriately from that point. NASA and Rockwell created the decision to give a protective cover on the tip of the probe to prevent contamination in the course of future flights.

Throughout the tests, the ring was shipped in between different NASA and contractor facilities by means of a 39 by 39 by 12 inch wood transit case which is included with the ring. The ring itself has a series of inspection stamps and ID numbers that read: &quotMDR 408699, V36-316250-9, 06361-B009522, MR 361588, DEC 9 1968, V36 316250 31, ASSEM, FEB 18 1969, 06361A015194.&quot A separate 6 by three inch yellow &quotTemporary Components Removal Tag&quot repeats several of these numbers and has the extra hand-written details of: &quotTPS 112, REM #103, Docking Ring, S/C 110, two/14/72.&quot

Included are copies of documents listing the NASA artifact quantity (2243) becoming from Command Module (S/C # 110) for the transfer to the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) and deascession papers from NASM.

The Apollo 14 docking ring is the single largest and heaviest piece of lunar spacecraft structural gear ever to be provided to private hands. The flown CM docking ring, the twin of this 1, remained with the ascent stage of the Lunar Module Antares when it was jettisoned. Antares was then deliberately crashed into the moon’s surface to simulate a &quotmoonquake.&quot

Santa’s 12th Nutcracker Regiment marching to Molotov’s from the Castro

Image by Steve Rhodes

santaslittlesecretservice.org/2009/11/13/what-is-christma…

For the most recent updates

santaslittlesecretservice.org

sanfranciscosantarchy.wordpress.com

santarchy.com

photos from earlier years

www.flickr.com/images/ari/collections/72157622991070792/

Some cool custom China machining service images:

BGFJ0R (CYBER ATTACK) …item 2.. Watching the crooks: Researcher monitors cyber-espionage ring (July 25, 2012 2:00 PM PDT) …item 3.. Hackers swipe data from former Bright Futures recipients (11:01 PM, Oct. 24, 2012) …

Image by marsmet501
A computer security breach at Northwest Florida State College (NWFSC) has the Department of Education and the Division of Florida Colleges racing to keep affected students informed about the state of their personal information.
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……..***** All images are copyrighted by their respective authors ……..
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… message header for CNET News

The growing menace from these "Advanced Persistent Threats" is detailed in a report unveiled today called "Chasing APT." In an interview at the Black Hat security conference here, Joe Stewart, director of malware research at Dell Secureworks Counter Threat Unit, said that over the last 18 months he’s been monitoring attacks designed to steal data from organizations around the world.

Two primary groups, in Shanghai and Beijing, appear to be behind the attack operations, he said.
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… message header for photo above

BGFJ0R The words Cyber Attack revealed in computer machine code through a magnifying glass in highkey
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…..item 1)…. Mail Online … www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech …

Threat from new virus-infected emails which take over your PC even if you DON’T open their attachments
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img code photo … CYBER ATTACK

i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/02/01/article-2094982-118D86…

Cyber attack: The new attack can infect PCs even if people DON’T open email attachments – leaving even savvy web users vulnerable to attack

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By ROB COLE
Last updated at 7:46 AM on 2nd February 2012

www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2094982/Threat-ne…

A new class of cyber attack is threatening PCs – emails which infect PCs without the user having to open an attachment.

The user will not even be warned this is happening – the only message that appears is ‘loading’.
The email automatically downloads malicious software into your computer from elsewhere the moment a user clicks to open it.

The mails themselves are not infected – and thus will not ‘set off’ many web-security defence packages.
Security experts say that the development is ‘particularly dangerous’.

‘This sort of spam also affects cautious users which would never open an unknown attachment or link,’ say security experts Eleven Research Team.

Previous generations of email-borne viruses and trojans required users to click on an attachment – often an office document such as a PDF.

The new emails – dubbed ‘drive-by emails’ – have been detected ‘in the wild’ by computer researchers Eleven Research Team.

This driveby spam automatically downloads malware when the e-mail is opened in the e-mail client,’ says Eleven Research Team.

‘Previous malware e-mails required the user to click on a link or open an attachment for the PC to be infected.’

More…

…..Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer steps down as company braces for fourth year of net losses

…..Mind-boggling! Science creates computer that can decode your thoughts and put them into words

The new generation of e-mail-borne malware consists of HTML e-mails which automatically downloads malware when the e-mail is opened.’

‘This is similar to so-called driveby downloads which infect a PC by opening an infected website in the browser.’
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img code photo … malicious software

i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/02/01/article-2094982-118CF4…

The new attack loads malicious software from remote websites into your PC as soon as you open an email

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The current wave of emails arrive with the title ‘Banking Security Update.’

To stay safe, the security company advises switching all security settings in email software to maximum, and updating your browser to the latest version so it’s protected against malicious software.

Share this article
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…..item 2)…. CNET News … news.cnet.com … CNET News Security & Privacy …

Watching the crooks: Researcher monitors cyber-espionage ring

Good guys are keeping an eye on large espionage and botnet campaigns that are stealing corporate secrets from government and private industry and money from peoples’ bank accounts.

by Elinor Mills
July 25, 2012 2:00 PM PDT

news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57479682-83/watching-the-crooks…

LAS VEGAS — Researchers have uncovered a huge amount of malware and registered domains being used by criminals linked to China who are conducting cyber-espionage on a wide range of government, industry, and human rights activists.

The groups were using more than 200 unique families of custom malware. They were also using more than 1,100 domain names registered solely to serve as command-and-control servers or to send spear phishing messages targeting specific workers within a company to entice them to open a malicious e-mail attachment or Web link. No one is safe with carefully crafted and targeted messages, Stewart said.
"You have to to have that kind of paranoia to know anything you get that is unsolicited is suspicious," he said. Companies should consider opening any unsolicited attachments and links, even from people who are known and trusted, in a virtual machine or a sanitized workstation in which an infection can be isolated.
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img code photo … malware

asset2.cbsistatic.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2012/07/25/Screen_sho…

This graph shows the confirmed espionage malware samples researcher Joe Stewart has been monitoring. The blue dots are malware, the yellow dots are Domain Name System names, and the purple dots are subdomains. Click the image to see a larger version.
(Credit: SecureWorks)

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img code photo … malware

asset3.cbsistatic.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2012/07/25/Screen_sho…

This is a small section of the graph up close. Click the image to see a larger version.
(Credit: SecureWorks)

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Targets include Japanese government ministries, universities, municipal governments, trade organizations, news media, think tanks and manufacturers of industrial equipment. "Now it’s not just a limited set of targets," Stewart said. "It’s anybody who has a competitor."

Stewart also found a private security organization in Asia, but not in China, that’s conducting a powerful cyber-espionage operation against another country’s military, while also offering security services and so-called "ethical hacking courses" as part of its legitimate business. He wouldn’t name the company.

Attackers are using a tool called HTran to disguise the location of their command-and-control servers and a new piece of malware called "Elirks" that uses a microblogging service called Plurk as a first-stage command-and-control server.