A fun way to get up to speed on space jargon, by proposing better meanings for exciting-sounding words from way way up beyond the atmosphere. There are many fabulous words used in the space business every day -- bring them into your workplace with you, fresh with new meanings, and impress your co-workers. With a nod to Douglas Adams and John Lloyd who did something much more powerful for placenames, this was inspired by The Snowball Herminator, who takes all credit and no responsibility.
2011-01-17
Fairing
Starting with a fairly dull one this week - Fairing. The fairing is the "nose cone" of a rocket, the protective structure that protects payloads (spacecraft) from the atmosphere during ascent. Release of the fairing is the final stage of a launch before the payload is released into its initial orbit. In the picture below the fairing has 2 halves and you can see a satellite inside during final assembly.
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"The Ring of the Fai" is a cycle of seven epic operas by the Norwegian composer Arvid Fladmoe (1915 – 1993). The operas gradually lost popularity because they are too complicated; twenty-one skilled musicians are needed just to hum it properly.
ReplyDeleteThe continual cycle of software sub-version releases (1.1 --> 1.1.1 --> 1.1.1.1 etc.) as opposed to just admitting defeat and going for version 1.2. Or even a 2.0 !
ReplyDeleteThe process of fiddling the exam results of an entire academic year so that only three 1st class degrees are awarded per subject. Some British universities practice Xeno-fairing, which ensures they are awarded to foreign students.
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