It's 2012. Our planet is moving into the last days as prophesized in the Bible. The Mayan Calendar nears its final recorded day of 12/12/12.Compounding the matter and disturbing man and demon alike, scientists discover an enormous object on a collision course with the earth, .This story has it all, Angels, demons, Zombies, Good and Evil men, Rescues, executions, ground and air combat as gigantic creatures both good and evil struggle for superiority on the earth.

Back in the beginning days of America's Civil War, the women of the small town of Marlette, Michigan, in the very heart of the Thumb wanted to show their support of President Lincoln and the Union forces in some small way. They collectively designed and sewed a huge Union flag of 34 stars, four rows of eight with an extra star at the end in between each two rows. This precious flag was then given to a gentleman they knew who lived just to the south who was leaving for the war. Color Sergeant Thomas Henry Sheppard's story, along with that of the Battle Flag of Company E, First Michigan Cavalry, is one of the most incredible true stories to ever come out of the Civil War. The Detroit Free Press back in the 1880's called it "an episode of the Civil War which has a strong coloring of Romance," as the Press told of how the colors of the First Michigan Cavalry were protected as the red, white and blue bunting became more and more tattered and sun-faded and bullet-ridden, and still the flag "assumed a dignity and interest even beyond that which the colors have of their own right to every loyal man." Thomas' account intersects with the lives of two of the War's most famous Generals and is written by a close relative of the third. The Color Sergeant took the colors and with his regiment carried them to the front lines where they saw hot service, and from which many did not return. In his words, the 1st Michigan "fought through the Shenandoah, on Banks' advance and retreat, in the campaigns of Pope and Burnside, and did yeoman service at the Battle of Gettysburg. They were under fire twice at Winchester, at Middletown, Strasburg, Harrisonburg, Occoquan and Thoroughfare Gap." Sheppard and his flag survived 13 major battles, over 100 skirmishes and 16 months of war. Thomas, following right behind his flamboyant new General Custer, led the First Michigan Cavalry into the most famous cavalry charge of the entire war as they stopped the Confederacy short of their certain victory in Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg on July 3, 1863. Alas, Thomas and his beloved flag went down in that fight, and he became a Prisoner-of-War, spending the next 505 days in prisons of the South, including that Hell hole, ANDERSONVILLE. While all that is stunning enough, the rest of Sheppard's story is almost beyond belief.as many years later he has a chance encounter with the Civil War's most famous Volunteer General "Black Jack" Logan at the train station in Marlette during Logan's whistle-stop campaign for the Vice-Presidency of the United States. Thomas' precious flag with 72 bullet holes.that old flag is now the proudest possession of the Dearborn Historical Museum, in the Commandant's Quarters at the Detroit Arsenal, now Sgt. John S. Cosbey Camp 427, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), where Thomas and the First Michigan Cavalry received their war supplies. He kept the colors.

A Tale of Titanic Lifeboat # 15 Bert Johns was a quiet young man. He came to America to start a new life. His story, although new to us, has been told for the past 100 years in his hometown of Hardin, Lebanon. His family relates that he was deeply affected by the sinking of Titanic, as we can all imagine. He was consumed by thoughts of it every day of the 40 years he lived after Titanic. He was a very sad man. He told his story to very few people, for he was harassed and tormented for saving himself in a lifeboat half full of people. He moved to Marlette, Michigan after working three years in factories in Port Huron. Marlette must have seemed as far away from Titanic as any place in the world. I was told the story of Bert Johns and Titanic by friends, Marlette attorney, Ward Atkins, and Bert's friend and business associate, Earl Ingram back in 1985. He requested of these friends that his story not be told until 50 years after his death, for the sake of his family. Bert died in 1952. A hundred years have passed since the sinking of the mighty Titanic. She lies now at the bottom of the sea. Bert's story can now be told. I am proud to be able to tell it. "The Ropes of the Past Ring The Bells of the Future ..." -Carl Sandburg

Human civilization has evolved to the point at which we can consider tapping space resources and expanding beyond Earth's atmosphere. The Introduction surveys possible motivations for large-scale human emigration to space. Since our early ancestors began to move out of Africa, humans have constantly expanded their range. Today, the pattern of human settlement extends from pole to pole. Humans regularly visit the upper troposphere and ocean floor and technology has enabled a few to even reside above the atmosphere in space stations.

For the next few millennia at least (barring breakthroughs), the human frontier will include the solar system and the nearest stars. Will it better to settle the Moon, Mars, or a nearby asteroid and what environments can we expect to find in the vicinity of nearby stars are questions that need to be answered if mankind is to migrate into space.

A brief guide to the real science of interstellar travel With known exoplanets now numbering in the thousands and initiatives like 100 Year Starship and Breakthrough Starshot advancing the idea of interstellar travel, the age-old dream of venturing forth into the cosmos and perhaps even colonizing distant worlds may one day become a reality. A Traveler's Guide to the Stars reveals how. Les Johnson takes you on a thrilling tour of the physics and technologies that may enable us to reach the stars. He discusses the latest exoplanet discoveries, promising interstellar missions on the not-so-distant horizon, and exciting new developments in space propulsion, power, robotics, communications, and more. But interstellar travel will not be easy, and it is not for the faint of heart. Johnson describes the harsh and forbidding expanse of space that awaits us, and he addresses the daunting challenges-both human and technological-that we will need to overcome in order to realize tomorrow's possibilities. A Traveler's Guide to the Stars is your passport to the next great frontier of human discovery, providing a rare inside look at the remarkable breakthroughs in science and technology that will help tomorrow's space travelers chart a course for the stars.

NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT Humanity has finally made it to the stars. Colony worlds thrive and there is general peace among the settled systems. Until now. Matte black ships of an advanced design appear in colonial systems. Their drives and weapons are no

Interstellar Travel: Purpose and Motivations is a comprehensive, technical look at the necessary considerations for interstellar travel addressed by leading experts in the field, from scientists studying possible destinations (exoplanets) and the vast distances between, to those concerned with building institutions and capabilities in society that could sustain such endeavors. In addition to the technical, medical, and anthropological aspects of deep space travel, the ethics and morality of spreading Earth-based life to other worlds is also examined. In the first book of a three-book compilation, Interstellar Travel: Purpose and Motivations offers in-depth, up-to-date and realistic technical and scientific considerations in the pursuit of interstellar travel and is an integral reference for scientists, engineers, researchers and academics working on, or interested in, space development and space technologies. With a renewed interest in space exploration and development evidenced by the rise of the commercial space sector and various governments now planning to send humans back to the moon and to Mars, so also is interest in taking the next steps beyond the Solar System and to the ultimate destination - planets circling other stars.

The reality of sunlight-based sailing in space began in May 2010, and solar sail technology and science have continued to evolve rapidly through new space missions. Using the power of the Sun's light for regular travel propulsion will be the next major leap forward in our journey to other worlds. This book is the second edition of the fascinating explanation of solar sails, how they work and how they will be used in the exploration of space. Updated with 35% new material, this second edition includes three new chapters on missions operated by Japan and the US, as well as projects that are in progress. The remainder of the book describes the heritage of exploration in water-borne sailing ships and the evolution to space-vehicle propulsion; as well as nuclear, solar-electric, nuclear-electric and antimatter rocket devices. It also discusses various sail systems that may use either sunlight or solar wind, and the design, fabrication and steering challenges associated with solar sails. The first edition was met with overwhelmingly positive reviews, and deemed "a title that needs to be on your shelf if you're seriously interested in the next step as we move beyond rocketry" (Centauri Dreams, September 2008). Written with a mixed approach, this book appeals to both the general public as well as those with a more scientifically technical background.

This book presents a visionary concept for future development of space travel. It describes the enabling technology for future propulsion concepts and demonstrates how mankind will 'live off the land in space' in migration from Earth. For the next few millennia at least (barring breakthroughs), the human frontier will include the solar system and the nearest stars. Will it be better to settle the Moon, Mars, or a nearby asteroid and what environments can we expect to find in the vicinity of nearby stars? These are questions that need to be answered if mankind is to migrate into space.

"Sky Alert! What Happens When Satellites Fail" explores for the first time what our modern world would be like if we were suddenly to lose most, if not all, of our space assets. The author demonstrates humankind's dependence on space satellites and show what might happen to various aspects of our economy, defense, and daily lives if they were suddenly destroyed. The book opens with a consideration of how our space assets might be lost in the first place: through orbital debris, war, and solar storms. The author then looks at what would happen if our satellites were lost, including the effect on weather forecasting, and the Global Positioning System, explaining GPS in detail and its importance to the military, including spy satellites and military reconnaissance, commerce, civilians, communications and remote sensing - both resource monitoring and locating and environmental monitoring and science. The effects of losing such assets as the International Space Station as well as such research satellites as the Hubble Space Telescope or the Chandra X-Ray Observatory are also considered. Part III of the book looks at how we can protect our satellites, preparing for the worst, reducing the growth and amount of orbital debris, preventing acts of war in space and hardening against space radiation. The book ends on an optimistic note: most spacefaring nations are now working together to develop new technologies to reduce the threat posed by orbital debris and in-space nuclear detonations and treaties exist to limit the development and use of weapons in space. Finally, it is hoped that it will not be long before we will be able to better predict and take precautions against solar storms. The global economy has now become so dependent upon satellites that their loss would be devastating - to the economy, to national security, and potentially, to the day-to-day survival of those who live in the world's most advanced economies.

Interstellar Travel: Propulsion, Life Support, Communications, and the Long Journey addresses the technical challenges that must be overcome to make such journeys possible. Leading experts in the fields of space propulsion, power, communication, navigation, crew selection, safety and health provide detailed information about state-of-the-art technologies and approaches for each challenge, along with possible methods based on real science and engineering. This book offers in-depth, up-to-date and realistic technical and scientific considerations in the pursuit of interstellar travel and will be an essential reference for scientists, engineers, researchers and academics working on, or interested in, space development and space technologies. With a renewed interest in space exploration and development evidenced by the rise of the commercial space sector and various governments now planning to send humans back to the moon and to Mars, there is also growing interest in taking the next steps beyond the solar system and to the ultimate destination – planets circling other stars. With the rapid growth in the number of known exoplanets, people are now asking how we might make journeys to visit them.

The answer lies out there. The year is 2072. At the lunar farside radio observatory, an old-school radio broadcast is detected, similar to those broadcast on Earth in the 1940s, but in an unknown language, coming from an impossible source, and originatin

Two scientists give an enthusiastic, layperson's overview of a new supermaterial now in development that could transform many features of daily life, from creating new conveniences to improving health and safety. What if you discovered an infinitesimally thin material capable of conducting electricity, able to suspend millions of times its own weight, and yet porous enough to filter the murkiest water? And what if this incredible substance is created from the same element that fills the common pencil? That's graphene--a flat, two-dimensional, carbon-based molecule with a single sheet measuring only one atom thick. In this layperson's introduction to this revolutionary substance, a physicist and a chemist explain how graphene was developed, discuss the problems in scaling up production for large-scale commercial use, and forecast the potentially transformative effects of incorporating graphene into everyday life. Recent research developments include adding graphene to Silly Putty to make extremely sensitive and malleable medical sensors and compressing and fusing flakes of graphene to create a three-dimensional material that's ten times stronger than steel. This widely adaptable substance promises to change the way we interact with smartphones, laptops, information storage, and even condoms. It may also enable significant improvements to air purification, water filtration technologies, and drug delivery. This entertaining and widely accessible book offers a fascinating look into one of the most exciting developments in materials science in recent decades.

Traveling to the stars will be difficult, but not, perhaps, the most difficult part. What about when we get to another star? What then? Will the planets be immediately habitable? Not likely. Will those who undertook the journey be able to easily turn arou

What was our planet like in years past? How has our civilization affected Earth and its ecology? Harvesting Space for a Greener Planet, the Second Edition of Paradise Regained: The Regreening of the Earth, begins by discussing these questions, and then generates a scenario for the restoration of Earth. It introduces new and innovative ideas on how we could use the Solar System and its resources for terrestrial benefit. The environmental challenges that face us today cannot be resolved by conservation and current technologies alone. Harvesting Space highlights the risk of humankind's future extinction from environmental degradation. Population growth, global climate change, and maintaining sustainability of habitats for wildlife are all considered, among other issues. Rather than losing heart, we need to realize that the solutions to these problems lie in being good stewards of the planet and in the development of space. Not only will the solutions offered here avert a crisis, they will also provide the basis for continued technological and societal progress. Tapping the resources of near-Earth asteroids will lead to methods of diverting those asteroids that threaten Earth. Space-based terrestrial power generation systems will work synergistically with Earth-based conservation. This book needs to be read urgently and widely, if we are to save ourselves from environmental disaster, reduce the risk of catastrophic cosmic impacts, and build a prosperous and sustainable future for all the creatures of Earth.

The NASA Technical Reports Servcr (NTRS) houses half a million publications that are a valuable means of information to researchers, teachers, students, and the general public. These documents are all aerospace related with much scientific and technical information created or funded by NASA. Some types of documents include conference papers, research reports, meeting papers, journal articles and more. This is one of those documents.

The NASA Technical Reports Servcr (NTRS) houses half a million publications that are a valuable means of information to researchers, teachers, students, and the general public. These documents are all aerospace related with much scientific and technical information created or funded by NASA. Some types of documents include conference papers, research reports, meeting papers, journal articles and more. This is one of those documents.

The NASA Technical Reports Servcr (NTRS) houses half a million publications that are a valuable means of information to researchers, teachers, students, and the general public. These documents are all aerospace related with much scientific and technical information created or funded by NASA. Some types of documents include conference papers, research reports, meeting papers, journal articles and more. This is one of those documents.

The NASA Technical Reports Servcr (NTRS) houses half a million publications that are a valuable means of information to researchers, teachers, students, and the general public. These documents are all aerospace related with much scientific and technical information created or funded by NASA. Some types of documents include conference papers, research reports, meeting papers, journal articles and more. This is one of those documents.

The NASA Technical Reports Servcr (NTRS) houses half a million publications that are a valuable means of information to researchers, teachers, students, and the general public. These documents are all aerospace related with much scientific and technical information created or funded by NASA. Some types of documents include conference papers, research reports, meeting papers, journal articles and more. This is one of those documents.

The NASA Technical Reports Servcr (NTRS) houses half a million publications that are a valuable means of information to researchers, teachers, students, and the general public. These documents are all aerospace related with much scientific and technical information created or funded by NASA. Some types of documents include conference papers, research reports, meeting papers, journal articles and more. This is one of those documents.

A Tale of Titanic Lifeboat # 15 Bert Johns was a quiet young man. He came to America to start a new life. His story, although new to us, has been told for the past 100 years in his hometown of Hardin, Lebanon. His family relates that he was deeply affected by the sinking of Titanic, as we can all imagine. He was consumed by thoughts of it every day of the 40 years he lived after Titanic. He was a very sad man. He told his story to very few people, for he was harassed and tormented for saving himself in a lifeboat half full of people. He moved to Marlette, Michigan after working three years in factories in Port Huron. Marlette must have seemed as far away from Titanic as any place in the world. I was told the story of Bert Johns and Titanic by friends, Marlette attorney, Ward Atkins, and Bert's friend and business associate, Earl Ingram back in 1985. He requested of these friends that his story not be told until 50 years after his death, for the sake of his family. Bert died in 1952. A hundred years have passed since the sinking of the mighty Titanic. She lies now at the bottom of the sea. Bert's story can now be told. I am proud to be able to tell it. "The Ropes of the Past Ring The Bells of the Future ..." -Carl Sandburg