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jtozer has written 352 articles so far, you can find them below.

The Army Gets A Digital Upgrade

Filed under STEM, Technology by jtozer on January 31, 2013 at 7:54 am {no comments}

Soldiers and other Army personnel get upgrades in security and collaboration through a new joint enterprise license agreement, along with access to Microsoft Office applications for home use. (U.S. Army photo)

The Army, along with the Air Force and Defense Information Systems Agency, have access to the newest versions of Microsoft products, including Microsoft Office 2013, SharePoint 2013 and Windows 8, under a $617 million joint enterprise license agreed to in December.

The deal, led by the Army Contracting Command in collaboration with the Army, Air Force, and Defense Information Systems Agency, known as DISA, is the best pricing DOD has received to date for Microsoft desktop and server software licenses, according to David DeVries, the DOD deputy chief Information Officer, or CIO.

Savings could run into tens of millions over the course of several years through lower license and software assurance costs, officials said.

Microsoft software assurance benefits also support e-Learning, planning services, TechNet subscription services, training vouchers and the home use program.

“SharePoint Enterprise Client Access Licenses are a key upgrade to the suite of Microsoft products,” said Mike Krieger, Army deputy CIO/G-6. The Enterprise Client Access License, or CAL, includes the already in-use Standard CAL (providing a platform to share work, collaborate, and organize projects) plus more capabilities such as dashboards, chart web parts and advanced sorting.

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White Sands & Solar Panels

Filed under Energy, STEM by jtozer on January 30, 2013 at 7:30 am {no comments}

An aerial view of the solar carport that is part of the U.S. Army’s largest solar photovoltaic system at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. (photo by By Jose Salazar, ATEC)

The U.S. Army dedicated its largest solar photovoltaic system at White Sands Missile Range in a ceremony led by Brig. Gen. Gwen Bingham, White Sands commander, joined by Katherine Hammack, assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment.

“I came here about four months ago talking about how White Sands is a national treasure and now we can feel proud that we’re really on the environmental edge,” Bingham said. “It takes passion to do something like this. I’m just excited about the journey that will lie ahead.”

Developed in coordination with the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center in Huntsville, Ala., Siemens Government Technologies, Inc., and Bostonia, the over-four-megawatt White Sands Missile Range solar energy system will generate about 10 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually, and provide an estimated annual savings of $930,000.

Complemented by a 375 kW solar carport, the solar array deployed at White Sands will supply about 10 percent of the total power used at the installation and reduce carbon emissions by 7,400 tons per year. Featuring Solaria’s proprietary technology, the 4.1 MW ground-mounted tracking system is also the world’s largest low-concentration photovoltaic solar power plant.

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NASA: Change the World

Filed under Videos by jtozer on January 29, 2013 at 7:26 am {no comments}

What’s it like to be in a NASA wind tunnel holding a wand releasing a stream of smoke across the wing of a 2,500 pound aircraft model? Student researcher Jonathan Lichtwardt tells us, and says his NASA experience made him feel good because he’s doing work that can “change the world.”

Video provided by NASA

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Air Force Space Command to Bolster Cyber Force

Filed under Cyber Security, Featured, STEM, Technology by jtozer on January 28, 2013 at 11:50 am {no comments}

The Air Force Space Command expects to be directed to add 1,000 new people, mainly civilians, to its base of about 6,000 cyber professionals for the 2014 fiscal year.

Left to Right: Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Joel Melendez, Naval Network Warfare Command information systems analysis, Air Force Staff Sgt. Rogerick Montgomery, U.S. Cyber Command network analysis, and Army Staff Sgt. Jacob Harding, 780th Military Intelligence Brigade cyber systems analysis, at an exercise during Cyber Flag 13-1, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Matthew Lancaster)

Speaking with reporters at a meeting of the Defense Writers Group, Air Force Gen. William L. Shelton said direction for the hires would come from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, fueled by the U.S. Cyber Command.

“Cyber Command is in the midst of determining how they are going to operate across all the geographic combatant commands as well as internal to the United States,” Shelton said, “and it looks like we will be tapped for well over 1,000 additional people into the cyber business, so you can see [cyber] is starting to take root.”

If budget restrictions allow the increase in personnel, they will be hired over two years beginning in fiscal 2014, and 70 percent to 80 percent will be civilians “if it turns out like we think it’s going to turn out,” the general said.

This will represent about a 15 percent increase over 6,000 cyber professionals working today for the 24th Air Force, he added, noting that the 24th Air Force is the numbered Air Force that works under Air Force Space Command.

A numbered Air Force is a tactical Air Force organization that is subordinate to a major command and has assigned to it operational units like wings, squadrons and groups.

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The Eco-friendly Future Of U.S. Army Technologies

Filed under Energy, Videos by jtozer on January 27, 2013 at 7:35 am {no comments}

Check out the U.S. Army‘s fuel-efficient demonstrator, or FED.

The FED sports a number of fuel-saving technologies, such as low-rolling resistance tires, and optimized super turbo charged engine, lightweight aluminum armored cab, and it’s 70% more fuel efficient.

Check this out:

Video provided by the USArmy’s RDECOM YouTube channel

Now, you won’t see troops rolling all over the globe in these eco-friendly babies just yet, but it does serve as an example of the kind of technologies that are being researched and developed for the U.S. military forces.

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Saturday Space Sight: Blazing Black Holes Spotted in Spiral Beauty

Filed under Photos, Space by jtozer on January 26, 2013 at 7:14 am {no comments}

This new view of spiral galaxy IC 342, also known as Caldwell 5, includes data from NASA’s Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR. High-energy X-ray data from NuSTAR have been translated to the color magenta, and superimposed on a visible-light view highlighting the galaxy and its star-studded arms.

NuSTAR is the first orbiting telescope to take focused pictures of the cosmos in high-energy X-ray light; previous observations of this same galaxy taken at similar wavelengths blurred the entire object into one pixel.

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Everybody Loves Directed Energy

Filed under Featured, STEM, Technology by jtozer on January 25, 2013 at 10:20 am {no comments}

Everybody loves ray guns, right?

I mean, what’s not to love? They’re so useful and precise and impressive. And shiny.

They can also be used in a variety of different applications, and the government is not immune to their seductive electromagnetic radiation ways.

So just what is the military doing with Directed Energy these days, anyway?

Oh I’m so glad you asked.

There are three classes of directed energy weapons (some might call these lasers, and then some would be told that they’re wrong).

The first one is known as the Active Denial System.

The active denial technology really stands out. (picture from defense.gov)

Many people have already heard about this non-lethal millimeter wave technology –affectionately referred to as a deterrence laser – that was considered for military use. The Active Denial System was designed to generate an intense sensation strong enough to stop a marauding crowd of ne’er-do-wells in their nefarious tracks without ever actually harming them. So it’s basically like a giant beam of don’t-do-that energy.

For people like Spencer Ackerman, however, that message is a little more…distinct.

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Using Technology To Fight The Flu

Filed under Physical Sciences by jtozer on January 24, 2013 at 7:35 am {no comments}

This is what we call the “Magic School Bus” view of the flu. (Graphic provided by the CDC)

Influenza (the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death.

Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting vaccinated each year.

The upcoming season’s flu vaccine will protect against the three influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the season. This includes an influenza A (H1N1) virus, an influenza A (H3N2) virus, and an influenza B virus.

Influenza Symptoms

Influenza (also known as the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The flu is different from a cold. The flu usually comes on suddenly. People who have the flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:

Fever* or feeling feverish/chills
Cough
Sore throat
Runny or stuffy nose
Muscle or body aches
Headaches
Fatigue (tiredness)
Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults

* It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.

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