The Japanese discovered the secret of turning cows into solar space satellites.

The station is slated to use 4 square kilometers of solar panels to generate 1 gigawatt of power, enough to power 294,000 homes, according to this report from Bloomberg.

Unfortunately, there are an estimated 47 million households in Japan, according to the CIA’s World Factbook.

IN RELATED NEWS –

HTV/H-IIB Successfully Launched!!

“The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) Demonstration Flight aboard the H-IIB Launch Vehicle Test Flight (H-IIB TF1) at 2:01:46 a.m. on September 11, 2009 (Japan Standard Time, JST) from the Tanegashima Space Center. The launch vehicle flew smoothly, and, at about 15 minutes and 6 seconds after liftoff, the separation of the HTV Demonstration Flight was confirmed.”

[The launch is relevant to Jacksonville because NASA is in Cocoa Beach - a couple of hours south on I-95. NASA - TV is linked from JAXA's  Web site.]

Not Space Cows

MEANWHILE –

The Los Angeles Times reported Oct. 13, 1985:

The Soviet Texas:  Cattle Drives, Space Station, Heavy Industry – In the Wild, Wild East, Kazakh Cowboys  Still Ride the Range

LOS ANGELES – The Kazakhs, a Turkic-Mongol people who trace their roots back to the 13th Century, were once nomads who roamed the range with horses and livestock.

The horse still is celebrated in Kazakh folklore and dances. In the big farmers’ market at Alma Ata, horse meat is sold for the equivalent of about $2.10 a pound and mare’s milk, known as kumiss , is also available.

Independent Frontier Spirit

The republic “is something like Texas,” said a Soviet official who has lived in the United States. “They are both places where cowboys and cattle played an important historical role and they both retain a lot of the independent frontier spirit.” …

]]> http://www.flipsideflorida.com/cattle-in-space/feed/ 3 http://www.flipsideflorida.com/enterprise-florida-green-cities-promo-clean-tech/ http://www.flipsideflorida.com/enterprise-florida-green-cities-promo-clean-tech/#comments Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:01:07 +0000 k. a. gardner http://www.flipsideflorida.com/?p=477

“Green Cities™ Florida was held May 20-21, 2009 at the Orange County Convention Center South Concourse Building, and offered a highly interactive, outcome-based portfolio of workshops presented with practical steps and specific plans for participating in the growing $400 billion green economy.

www.greencitiesflorida.org

“State and national experts in green government, business, and technology provided practical tools, case studies, and resources.  Speakers’ shared vital information that is driving today’s new green economy and moving Florida towards a sustainable future.”

John Adams, president and CEO of Enterprise Florida, led a break-out discussion group exploring the challenges and opportunities in building Florida’s clean energy industry - not only in renewables, but  supporting technologies [energy- efficient building services and products; manufacturing and distribution]. The conference was well-attended  and Adams noted a keen interest in all cross-sections of  clean business opportunities.

Renewable energy technologies include  biomass, biofuels, geothermal,  solar,  wind; and emerging ocean research and development.

Click here for more information on at the State of Florida’s Clean Energy Industry Cluster from Enterprise Florida.

-k. a. gardner