parachute
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Next Russian space capsule could land on a gentle cushion of fire
We're all used to space vehicles making a fiery ascents into the heavens whilst sitting atop massive, earth-shaking rockets that fill the sky with light and hearts with awe. What's a little more unusual is a spacecraft that relies on the same technique make a gentle return trip. Ships landing under rocket power have been bandied about for decades, but now the Russians seem intent to make it a reality for their next space capsule. The current Soyuz capsules do use rockets to cushion landings, firing at the last seconds before touchdown, but still descent is largely managed by a series of parachutes. This next-gen ship would forgo such frilly things in favor of rather more pyrotechnic ones, a change that sounds rather exciting but, to be honest, somewhat less than reliable. Given our choice we'd probably take a halo of silk above rather than a pack of explosives below, thanks.[Via BBC News]
The state of Engineering in 3.1
In case you missed the memo, the short list of changes to the Engineering profession that have been posted for patch 3.1 are all you are going to get come patch day, like it or not. Bornakk confirmed that Blizzard feels that the "perks work out" compared to what other professions offer, and that they "have no changes planned at this time."The relevant forum thread has grown to over 1300 replies and more than 50,000 views, suggesting that while Blizz might be satisfied, much of the Engineering community is not. In fact, many are threatening to drop the profession and take up Jewelcrafting, which is something I hear about a lot. Of course, if your profession is really, honestly inferior to all others, then why is everyone trading up to the same one? Pass through the break for a list of the upcoming changes, the major gripes, and a comparison of Engineering to other professions in order to put this all into perspective.
Wizard escape pack: too late for MacGyver, too conceptual for Bauer
Nah, the Wizard isn't a reality just yet, but we can certainly envision this taking up its fair share of shelf space in the not-too-distant future. Dreamed up by the vivid imaginations at HJC Design, this emergency parachute pack would theoretically provide an "automated public safety solution with up to 250-meters of reciprocating lifeline technology." Beyond that, it seems like a pretty invigorating method of avoiding the elevator lines come quittin' time.[Via Coolest-Gadgets]
The Gryphon parachute system -- only badasses need apply
This picture pretty much speaks for itself, but what you are looking at is the Gryphon parachute system, designed by ESG (Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH, if you must know) -- though if we had a company named ESG that made this, we might call it the UFO and get all No Wave on it for a sec. Anyhow, wearing the Gryphon, parachutists -- if you really want to call them that -- can apparently fly for up to 40 kilometers (about 25 miles) at rather high speeds before opening their chutes. Not suprisingly, it's aimed primairly at the military market, where it could potentially be used to drop off soldiers far away from their target, allowing them to fly under radar cover. And if you're thinking it can't possibly get any cooler, ESG says they're planning on adding freaking turbo jet drives to the unit, allowing for even greater speeds and lower take-off heights. [Via Uber-Review]
