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Quiet diplomacy in extradition of murder suspect Du Anxiang
Getting suspected killer from Morocco to Britain required agreement to a special 'mini-treaty'
The international hunt for suspected killer Du Anxiang has already cost more than £1 million (HK$11.6 million), but it has taken more than money to bring him back to Britain to face justice.
When British detectives escorted the alleged killer onto a flight from Casablanca to Heathrow last Wednesday, it was the culmination of a two-year manhunt.
Northamptonshire police said the extradition had been approved by the Moroccan Ministry of Justice in conjunction with the British Home Office.
But in truth, it was a triumph of eight months of behind-the-scenes diplomacy involving politicians and police forces working closely together.
The lack of an extradition agreement between the two countries ensured that despite "getting their man", there was no guarantee Du would ever face a trial in Britain.
In the 17 years before his arrest, only two people had been extradited from Morocco to Britain. The last was in 2009, a man wanted in connection with a £53 million heist in Kent.
As the murders slipped off the front pages, Du laid low thousands of kilometres away in Africa. But all that changed after police arrested him in July.
Britain's most wanted man was held in Sale prison, near the Moroccan capital Rabat, awaiting extradition.
It wasn't until late last year that the British Home Office began official talks about bringing Du back, while away from the glare of the media Michael Ellis, the British lawmaker representing the victims' hometown of Northampton, applied pressure.
A 'special one-off arrangement' had to be put in place and a 'mini-treaty' had to be negotiated for Du's transfer into the hands of British authorities. That was finally signed last week.
After the suspect's return, Northamptonshire's deputy chief constable Martin Jelley said: "I would like to thank all those who have been involved in this successful extradition, including Michael Ellis."
In court, Du, who spoke through an interpreter, gave only an address and his date of birth before being remanded.
Now those who may have helped him evade justice for so long could also find themselves in the dock.
Last July, two men from Coventry and London and two women from Gloucester and Southend, arrested on suspicion of helping Du flee the country, were released on bail. They have not yet been charged.


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- Gently fry off 1 chopped onion, 1 tblspn. each of crushed garlic & ginger, & 1 tspn. red curry paste.
- Chop & add to pot 1 kg. chicken thighs. Brown off a bit.
- Add tin of coconut cream or milk, 1 tblspn. palm sugar (or brown sugar), ½ bunch chopped coriander stems (or a tblspn. coriander paste), & 2 tblspns. fish sauce.
- Simmer together about 15 mins. then throw in some diced pumpkin (maybe 1½ -2 cups). Cook another 15 mins. or so.
Thai Red Chicken Curry…
Christian author, Diana Lesire Brandmeyer, writes historical and contemporary romances about women who challenge their fears even though they want to run from them. Author of Mind of Her Own, A Bride's Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee and We’re Not Blended-We’re Pureed, A Survivor’s Guide to Blended Families.

domain: food


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All Recipes and Posts Tagged coconut recipes
The Complete Coconut Cookbook: 200 Gluten-free, Grain-free and Nut-free Vegan Recipes Using Coconut Flour, Oil, Sugar and More is a wonderful new cookbook for those who need to eat gluten free and for the rest of us. I love cookbooks by recipe developer Camilla Saulsbury. She has a keen sense of... moreRead more
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I just finished reading Hail, Holy Queen - The Mother of God in the Word of God, by Scott Hahn. I can think of numerous passages that stood out to me, and that were very eye-opening. But for my purposes here, I'll just mention the truths that stand out most in my thoughts right now.
For non-Catholics and even Catholics who don't fully understand who Mary is to us as believers, something is missing, something good: a mother for the church and for each of us. For me, this book was a good introduction to that - now I want to know more. Part of that will be more reading, and part will be praying the rosary.

domain: library


The smart money is buying not selling their gold and silver
A recent survey of investors in the UK (importantly taken after the June price plunge) found that 43% had increased their holdings in gold and silver and only 14% had reduced theirs, with 1% selling out entirely. 4% had switched from gold to silver (a trend we are seeing here in our store also). Interestingly too, a separate survey found the top 7 best performing funds in July all related to gold. A price correction like we’ve seen this year can test one’s resolve but take comfort that others are clearly seeing it purely as a correction and many as a buying opportunity. The fundamentals we post daily remain.


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PJ's Coffee of New Orleans Single Serve Cups - French Roast
Their traditional French roast, with its bittersweet flavor and rich, smooth character, showcases a blend deeply rooted in New Orleans.
PJ's Coffee of New Orleans was founded in 1978 by Phyllis Jordan, a pioneer in the coffee industry that demonstrated that better beans, superior roasting techniques, and pure passion for the art of coffee-making mattered. PJ's Coffee serves a wide variety of hot, iced and frozen coffee beverages using only the top 1% of Arabica beans, as well as organic tea and fresh breakfast pastries.
We Also Recommend
French Market Coffee St. Charles Blend Dark Roast Single Serve Cups - 12 Ct


Advanced technologies are sought for thermal management of Earth-orbiting spacecraft, the human lunar habitat, landers, and rovers, for Martian transit spacecraft, as well as planetary expeditions to Jupiter, Venus, and their moons. Future spacecraft will require more sophisticated thermal control systems that can dissipate or reject greater heat loads at higher input heat fluxes while using fewer of the limited spacecraft mass, volume, and power resources.
The thermal control designs also must accommodate the harsh environments associated with these missions including dust and high sink temperatures. Modular, reconfigurable designs could limit the number of required spares.
The lunar environment presents several challenges to the design and operation of active thermal control systems. During the Apollo program, landings were located and timed to occur at lunar twilight, resulting in a benign thermal environment. The long-duration polar lunar bases that are foreseen in 15 years will see extremely cold thermal environments, as will the radiators for Martian transit spacecraft. Long sojourns remote from low-Earth orbit will require lightweight, but robust and reliable systems.
Innovative thermal management components and systems are needed to accomplish the rejection of heat from lunar bases. Advances are sought in the general areas of radiators, thermal control loops, and equipment. Radiators on the Moon’s poles and on a Martian transit vehicle are required that will operate and survive in very cold environments. Variable emissivity coatings, clever working fluid selection, or robust design could be used to prevent radiator damage from freezing at times of low heat load. Also, the dusty environment of an active lunar base may require dust mitigation and removal techniques to maintain radiator performance over the long term.
The lunar base and Martian transit spacecraft active thermal control systems will include high-efficiency, long-life mechanical pumps. Part of the thermal control system in the lunar base is likely to be a condensing heat exchanger, which should be designed to preclude microbial growth. Small heat pumps could be used to provide cold fluid to the heat exchanger, increasing the average heat rejection temperature and reducing the size of the radiators.
Thermal Management in Space
The vehicles and habitats associated with space industrialization and the exploitation of non-terrestrial resources will inevitably require energy systems far exceeding the current requirements of scientific and exploratory missions. Because of the extended duration of these missions, it is not possible to consider systems involving expendables such as non-regeneratable fuel cells. Therefore, these missions become hostages to the capability of continuous-power energy systems. These systems will need to provide hundreds of kilowatts to tens of megawatts of electrical power to a product fabrication system, whether it uses terrestrial or non-terrestrial raw materials.
EVA Thermal Environment
For past manned missions, the EVA thermal environment has been a major design driver for the EVA spacesuit, starting with the thermal protection requirements of the anthropomorphic spacesuit garment and extending to the primary life support system (PLSS) on the spacesuit. The thermal environment influences passive system design, such as material selections and infrared/solar coating selections, as well as active system design, such as sublimators, radiators, liquid cooling systems, and crewmember metabolic expenditure for performing critical EVA tasks.
Along with the thermal environment, metabolic heat load and metabolic rate predictions also affect equipment designs and consumables. Determining accurate metabolic heat loads is a challenge since it is closely tied to the outside thermal environment. An understanding of the impact of metabolic heat load first requires a review of historic space program metabolic expenditures. Also affected by the thermal environment is spacesuit heat leak, which in tum affects insulation requirements and thermal consumables of the spacesuit. A review of past mission heat leak effects as a function of the environmental heat load is important to quantify expected heat leaks on upcoming lunar EVAs. Thermal environments can also affect and degrade spacesuit radiator performance in the presence of both infrared and solar heat fluxes. In evaluating methods to improve spacesuit radiator performance on the lunar surface, the steady-state heat rejection performance is presented for multiple spacesuit-mounted radiator concepts at various solar angles and operating temperatures. The radiator concepts use shades to provide varying degrees of protection from the hot lunar dayside surface.
Thermal management technology is an essential requirement for all spacesuits, spacecraft, and space habitats. During extravehicular activity (EVA), spacesuits must remove metabolic heat produced by the astronaut, residual heat from the suit’s electronics, and absorbed heat from the external environment. The contribution of each of these heat sources can vary considerably, meaning a thermal control system must be able to actively adapt to changing heat loads to keep the suit’s internal temperature within the narrow band safe for human occupation. Currently, both NASA’s Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) and the Russian Orlan spacesuit use water-ice sublimation to provide cooling. The ISS EMU utilizes a base layer called the Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment (LCVG) made of nylon (i.e. a synthetic thermoplastic linear polyamide; a large molecule whose components are bound by a particular type of bond) and spandex (i.e. a type of stretchy polyurethane fabric) interlaced with flexible rubber tubing for pumping cool water across an astronaut’s skin to absorb heat. Liquid in a feedwater circuit is exposed to a heat exchanger in the Portable Life Support System (PLSS) backpack, creating a thin sheet of ice that sublimates directly into the vacuum of space. Thermal energy is dissipated as the latent heat of sublimation from the water mass, cooling the water in the separate Liquid Transport Circuit that flows through the LCVG. This method has proven reliable, but there are many problems and opportunities for optimization.
Planetary EVA Environments
Next-generation spacesuits will need to function in a dynamic range of environmental conditions. Heat sources include environmental radiation, possible atmospheric effects, human metabolic heat, and residual heat from suit electronics. The lunar environment is characterized by approximately ⅙ Earth g, and surface temperatures ranging from -143°C (-225°F) to +127°C (+261°F) due to direct sunlight or shading in an ambient vacuum. In direct sunlight, radiation can be reflected from the lunar regolith in the infrared (IR) range, amplifying the radiative heating. In deep shadowed craters or during the extended night of the lunar 28-day day-night cycle, temperatures can approach absolute zero. Temperatures are also dependent on latitude and local lighting conditions. During a lunar EVA, a crew member will experience sharp transient effects as they move in and out of shadows and change their orientation with respect to the sun.
Human metabolic heat can fluctuate dramatically depending on activity level. The metabolic heat from a single lunar EVA can vary from 70 to 730 W depending on activity, with extreme peaks of 880 W in emergency contingencies. This heat can be broken down into two categories: sensible heat and latent heat. Sensible heat is transmitted through the skin to the environment via conduction and convection and generally remains stable over varying activity levels. Latent heat refers to the heat rejected from perspiration and expired water vapor. Latent heat increases rapidly with activity level. The current LCVG and EMU alter this relationship by adjusting to keep skin temperature constant even at higher work rates so that sensible heat continues to be the dominant heat transfer mechanism. A system that relies on the body’s natural transition to latent heat rejection at higher workloads may be more efficient and reduce consumables but will also require more drinking water. It may also require a new mechanism for collecting and filtering latent moisture condensate. PLSS electronics heat will likely decrease with technological advancements but generally runs at a steady 120 W. The current requirement for NASA’s next EVA spacesuit, the Exploration EMU (xEMU) is 100 W. In total, this means that a spacesuit must be able to reject between 190 and 850 W. The current EMU has a requirement baseline value of approximately 250 W in steady-state performance for an 8-hour EVA. The Apollo EMU requirement included about 270 W of cooling for an 8-hour EVA with a 19°C internal temperature maintenance, and a 250K heat sink temperature. This represents a conservative baseline for future suit designs.
Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporators
The PLSS built into the xEMU will include several updates from the original Apollo and Shuttle era suits, including the integration of a Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporator (SWME). The SWME utilizes 27,000 thin-walled, hollow, 300 μm diameter polypropylene fibers (PPF; a kind of linear polymer synthetic fiber obtained from propylene polymerization) that provide about 1.1 m2 open pore. The small pores in the fibers prevent liquid from leaking out while presenting very low resistance to evaporation and vapor flow. The circulating water evaporates due to the low water vapor pressure on the outside of the SWME. The evaporation cools the remaining liquid as it returns to the LCVG. This keeps all contaminants in the cooling line and prevents them from clogging the sublimator, but a periodic scrubbing of the water circuit will be required instead. The heat flux is controllable, and the SWME is pressure independent at start-up, operating over the whole range of suit pressures. The SWME can also degas the thermal loop water to prevent pressure build-up. Testing began in 1999 at the Johnson Space Center, with the first full sheet demonstration in 2009. The Gen2 SWME was created in 2010 and has demonstrated a capacity of greater than 800 W of cooling capacity with over 200 hours of testing. The SWME remains a mass consumable life support system, a limitation for its extensibility to Moon or Mars missions.
A critical advancement has been the development of the Space Evaporator-Absorber-Radiator (SEAR), which utilizes a Lithium-Chloride Absorber Radiator (LCAR) to condense and absorb water vapor evaporated through the hollow fibers of the SWME. The lithium-chloride solution is a strong desiccant (i.e. a hygroscopic substance used as a drying agent) that maintains a very low vapor pressure even at relatively high temperatures. The heat generated in this process drives up the temperature of a connected exterior surface radiator panel that rejects heat into space. Lithium-chloride solution maintains a low vapor pressure, even at temperatures that are typically 30°C higher than the SWME temperature. This enables the LCAR to operate as a heat pump, rejecting heat at temperatures of about 50°C-60°C which significantly reduces the size of the radiator. The LCAR designers at Creare LLC expect the system to be able to reject 150 to 300 W depending on available radiator surface area and environmental conditions. The lithium-chloride concentration begins at about 95% and slowly dilutes to 45% over the course of an 8-hour EVA, at which point the LCAR ceases to be effective. The absorbed water can be recovered after the EVA by baking the LCAR at 100°C-120°C, which is a high enough temperature to evaporate the water from solution. This could be done using a regeneration oven inside the spacecraft or habitation module. A comparison of the independent SWME and SWME with LCAR systems.
The most common proposal for solid-state heat exchangers is thermoelectric coolers (TECs). A TEC is a solid-state heat pump made of thermocouples (i.e. sensors for measuring temperature) that creates a temperature difference across the device when a current runs through it in a process called the Peltier Effect (the Peltier effect is the reverse phenomenon of the Seebeck effect). When a current flows through a junction between two different conductors (from a battery), heating and cooling occur because charge carriers diffuse to opposite sides of the device. Changing the polarity of the current reverses the flow direction and switches the temperature gradient. A TEC also has no moving parts, giving it the advantage of simplicity.
Traditionally, TECs have been used for cooling small, energy-dense electronic components due to scaling challenges associated with power and mass. Most research involving heat exchangers for PLSS has focused on rejecting the residual heat from suit electronics, including a new additively manufactured titanium-based liquid-gas heat exchanger for cooling the breathing gas ventilation loop in the next generation EMU. At only 0.39 kg, this small component is less than half the mass of previous prototypes and can reject a higher heat load. Mass reductions will be a key component of future PLSS components, and this demonstrates the potential for future optimization of hardware components. While heat exchanger efforts have focused on small components, there have been several concept studies for using TECs as the primary cooling mechanism for a spacesuit. Preliminary research using analog EVAs on Earth has shown the potential to provide superior cooling with a lower system mass by using TECs and swappable batteries rather than replaceable ice block coolers in analog spacesuits. Benchtop tests indicate that using five lithium-ion batteries totaling 3.4 kg to power a TEC cooling system would greatly reduce the 60 kg of replacement ice reservoirs needed to keep an analog suit cool over the course of a 175 W, 6-hour EVA. The applications of this work have so far been limited to terrestrial analog EVAs, but future work will examine the feasibility of using the Peltier cooling concept for EVAs on Mars.
Radiators have been a component of each of the candidate technologies presented so far, but it may be possible to provide cooling using only a passive process. Spacecraft and robotic explorers already use radiators for heat rejection. Radiators reject residual heat via infrared (IR) radiation emitted by a surface exposed to a heat sink with a much lower temperature. These systems are “closed-loop” with respect to mass. Radiators typically provide a steady level of cooling, making them suboptimal for adapting to the dynamic heat loads of a spacesuit application. Additionally, surface area constraints on rigid structures such as the PLSS backpack limit the amount of cooling possible. However, recent technological developments have reopened the possibility of using a radiator-based approach for EVA thermal control. Early work investigating the application of passive radiators for zero-consumable heat rejection led to the Chameleon Suit architecture, proposed in the early 2000s.
With this approach, the thermal control system was envisioned to allow for variable conductance (i.e. the amount/speed of heat transmitted through a material; heat transfer occurs at a higher rate across materials of high thermal conductivity than those of low thermal conductivity) between the skin surface and the surface of the suit using different lofting techniques. The surface of the suit allowed for further adjustment of the heat flow using variable electrochromic radiators (electrochromism is the phenomenon where the color or opacity of a material changes when a voltage is applied) along with mechanical modulating of the radiators using MEMS (microelectromechanical system) louvers. Technological advancements in the succeeding decades have made such a concept more viable, but it is still limited by an inability to remove heat when the sink temperature is close to or greater than the desired skin temperature, and it still requires battery power to operate. Electrochromic materials may help the problem of environmental temperature variation by allowing for a variably emissive surface. The optical properties of electrochromic films can be controlled electrically using an applied voltage. New technology has also allowed these devices to be installed on a flexible substrate such as Kapton tape or polymer film. When a small bias voltage is applied, the material undergoes an oxidation-reduction reaction, and the surface’s IR emission properties change. The layers of an electrochromic device (ECD) function similarly to the anode, cathode, and electrolyte in a battery.
Heat Rejection Systems
Essentially the system is a small vapor cycle (a thermodynamic cycle, operating as a heat engine or a heat pump, during which the working substance is in, or passes through, the vapor state) that uses the temperature difference between the hot and cold ends of the tube as a pump to transport heat, taking full advantage of the heat of vaporization of the particular fluid.
The fluid must be carefully selected to match the temperature range of operation. For example, at very high temperatures a metallic substance with a relatively high vaporization temperature, such as sodium or potassium, may be used. However, this choice puts a constraint on the low-temperature end since, if the fluid freezes into a solid at the low-temperature end, the operation would cease until the relatively inefficient conduction of heat along the walls could melt it. At low temperatures, a fluid with a low vaporization temperature, such as ammonia, might well be used, with similar constraints. The temperature may not be so high as to dissociate the ammonia at the hot end or so low as to freeze the ammonia at the cold end.
With proper design, heat pipes are an appropriate and convenient tool for thermal management in space systems. For example, at modest temperatures, the heat pipe could be made of aluminum, because of its relatively low density and high strength. Fins could be added to the heat pipe to increase its heat dissipation area. The aluminum, in order to be useful, must be thin enough to reduce the mass carried into space yet thick enough to offer reasonable resistance to meteoroid strikes.
A very carefully designed solid surface radiator made out of aluminum has the following capabilities in principle: The mass is approximately 5 kg/m2 with an emissivity (i.e. the ratio of the energy radiated from a material’s surface to that radiated from a perfect emitter, known as a blackbody, at the same temperature and wavelength and under the same viewing conditions) of 0.86; the usable temperature range is limited by the softening point of aluminum (about 700 K). At higher temperatures, where refractory metals (i.e. a group of metallic elements that are highly resistant to heat and wear) are needed, it would be necessary to multiply the mass of the radiator per square meter by at least a factor of 3. Nevertheless, from 700 K up to perhaps 900 K, the heat pipe radiator is still a very efficient method of rejecting heat.
A further advantage is that each heat pipe unit is a self-contained machine. Thus, the puncture of one unit does not constitute a single-point failure that would affect the performance of the whole system. Failures tend to be slow and graceful, provided sufficient redundancy.
Pump Loop System
The pump loop system has many of the same advantages and is bounded by many of the same limitations associated with the heat pipe radiator. Here heat is collected through a system of fluid loops and pumped into a radiator system similar to conventional radiators used on Earth. It should be pointed out that in the Earth’s environment the radiator actually radiates very little heat; it is designed to convect its heat, i.e. transport heat by convection. The best-known examples of the pump loop system currently used in space are the heat rejection radiators used in the Shuttle. These are the inner structure of the clamshell doors which are deployed when the doors are opened.
Pump loop systems have a unique advantage in that the thermal control system can easily be integrated into a spacecraft or space factory. The heat is picked up by conventional heat exchangers within the spacecraft, the carrier fluid is pumped through a complex system of pipes extended by fins (i.e. surfaces that extend from an object to increase the rate of heat transfer to or from the environment by increasing convection) when deemed effective, and finally, the carrier is returned in liquid phase through the spacecraft. In the case of the Space Shuttle, where the missions are short, additional thermal control is obtained by deliberately dumping fluid.
Since the system is designed to operate at low temperatures, a low-density fluid, such as ammonia, may on occasion, depending on heat loading, undergo a phase change. Boiling heat transfer in a low gravity environment is a complex phenomenon, which is not well understood at the present time. Because the system is subjected to meteoroid impact, the basic primary pump loops must be strongly protected.
Despite these drawbacks, pump loop systems will probably be used in conjunction with heat pipe systems as thermal control engineers create a viable space environment. These armored (closed) systems are rather highly developed and amenable to engineering analysis. They have already found an application on Earth and in space. A strong technology base has been built up, and there exists a rich literature for the scientist-engineer to draw on in deriving new concepts.
Advanced Radiator Concepts
The very nature of the problems just discussed has led to increased efforts on the part of the thermal management community to examine innovative approaches which offer the potential of increased performance and, in many cases, relative invulnerability to meteoroid strikes. Although I cannot discuss all of these new approaches, I will briefly describe some of the approaches under study as examples of the direction of current thinking.
Improved Conventional Approaches
The continuing search for ways to improve the performance of heat pipes has already shown that significant improvements in the heat pumping capacity of the heat pipe can be made by clever modifications to the return wick loop (a capillary structure, also called wick, can be placed inside the heat pipe body to allow the condensed liquid phase of the working fluid wicking against the vapor flow due the capillary action; such a heat pipe is called a wick heat pipe).
Looking further down at the problem of deployability, people are exploring flexible heat pipes and using innovative thinking. For example, a recent design has the heat pipes collapsing into a sheet as they are rolled up, the same way a toothpaste tube does. Thus, the whole ensemble may be rolled up into a relatively tight bundle for storing and deploying. However, because the thin-walled pipes are relatively fragile and easily punctured by meteoroids, more redundancy must be provided. The same principles, of course, can be applied to a pump loop system and may be of particular importance when storage limits must be considered. These are only examples of the various approaches taken, and we may confidently expect a steady improvement in the capability of conventional thermal management systems.
The Liquid Droplet Radiator
The basic concept of the liquid droplet radiator is to replace a solid surface radiator with a controlled stream of droplets. The droplets are sprayed across a region in which they radiate their heat; then they are recycled to the hotter part of the system.
It was demonstrated some time ago that liquid droplets with very small diameters (about 100 micrometers) are easily manufactured and offer a power-to-mass advantage over solid surface radiators of between 10 and 100. In effect, large, very thin radiator sheets can be produced by the proper dispersion of the droplets. This system offers the potential of being developed into an ultra-lightweight radiator that, since the liquid can be stored in bulk, is also very compact.
The potential advantages of the liquid droplet radiator can be seen if we consider again the problem that was discussed at the end of the section on heat pipe radiators. We found that a very good aluminum radiator would require 256 m2 and have a mass of nearly 1300 kg to radiate the low-temperature waste heat from lunar processing. Using the properties of a liquid droplet radiator and a low density, low vapor pressure fluid such as Dow Corning 705 (a diffusion pump fluid designed for high vacuum and for fast pumping of large volumes of gas or vapor in production operations), a common vacuum oil (i.e. a liquid with a low vapor pressure at room temperature; it is one of the vacuum materials; it is used chiefly as a pressure fluid in oil-diffusion pumps, as a sealant for mechanical pumps, as a lubricating material for the rubbing parts of vacuum devices, and for filling liquid vacuum meters) we find that, for the same area (which implies the same emissivity), the mass of the radiating fluid is only 24 kg. Even allowing a factor of 4 for the ancillary equipment (i.e. any devices including, but not limited to, such devices as piping, fittings, flanges, valves, and pumps used to distribute, meter, or control the flow of regulated substances; e.g. circulating pumps, cooling fans and defrost heaters) required to operate this system, the mass of the radiator is still less than 100 kg.
To achieve efficiency, the designer is required to frame the radiator in a lightweight deployable structure and to provide a means of aiming the droplets precisely so that they can be captured and returned to the system. However, present indications are that the droplet accuracies required (milliradians; a unit of angle also known as a mil; a unit of measurement dividing radians in a circle) are easily met by available technology. Recently, successful droplet capture in simulated 0 g conditions has been adequately demonstrated. An advantage of a liquid droplet radiator is that even a relatively large sheet of such droplets is essentially invulnerable to micrometeoroids since a striking micrometeoroid can remove at most only a few drops.
Some may be concerned that the very large surface area of the liquid will lead to immediate evaporation. However, liquids have recently been found that in the range of 300 to 900 K have a vapor pressure so low that the evaporation loss during the normal lifetime of a space system (possibly as long as 30 years) will be only a small fraction of the total mass of the radiator. Thus, the liquid droplet radiator appears promising, particularly as a low-temperature system where a large radiator is required.
Liquid droplet radiators for applications other than 0 g have been suggested. For example, in the lunar environment fluids with low vapor pressures can be used effectively as large-area heat dissipation systems for relatively large-scale power plants. We may well imagine that such a system will take on the appearance of a decorative fountain, in which the fluid is sprayed upward and outward to cover as large an area as possible. It would be collected by a simple pool beneath and returned to the system. Such a system would be of particular advantage in the lunar environment if low mass, low vapor pressure fluids could be obtained from indigenous materials. Droplet control and aiming would no longer be as critical as in the space environment; however, the system would need to be shaded from the Sun when it is in operation.
While this system is far less developed, its promise is so high that it warrants serious consideration for future use, particularly in response to our growing needs for improved power management.
Belt Radiator Concepts
The belt radiator concept is a modification of the liquid droplet concept in which an ultrathin solid surface is coated with a very low vapor pressure liquid. While the surface-to-volume ratio is not limited in the same fashion as for cylindrical heat pipe, it does not quite match that of the liquid drop radiator. However, this system avoids the problem of droplet capture by carrying the liquid along a continuous belt by surface tension. The liquid plays a double role in this system by acting not only as the radiator but also as the thermal contact which picks up the heat directly from a heat transfer drum. Variations on this scheme, in which the belt is replaced by a thin rotating disk, are also feasible but have yet to be fully assessed.
Thermal Management System of the MARE (Moon Age and Regolith Explorer)
The MARE (Moon Age and Regolith Explorer) Discovery Mission concept targets the delivery of a science payload to the lunar surface for sample collection and dating with the objective of determining the impact history of the inner solar system and the evolution and differentiation of the interiors of one-plate planets. The mission science is within a 100-meter radius region of smooth lunar maria terrain near the Aristarchus crater, 23.7°N 47.4°W. The lunar lander proposed for this mission was based on the NASA JSC Morpheus lander vehicle.
As part of this work, the NASA JSC and MSFC thermal teams proposed a thermal management system. This thermal management concept was intended to not only meet the driving requirements below, but also leverage existing SBIR work with the objective of developing technologies that have the potential of reducing mass, power, cost, and complexity while maintaining thermal performance for future architectures.
- The science payload should be able to survive approximately 2 lunar days and one lunar night.
- The thermal control system should be able to dissipate 323 watts of waste heat during science payload operations.
- Thermal control should be able to keep all components within operational and survival limits for science payloads and lander components for extended periods of time.
- The thermal control system should be able to operate during different mission phases.
- The thermal control system should be able to operate at a 25° slope.
The design approach took into consideration the following thermal control strategy in order to propose a simplified thermal management solution for this mission:
- Passive thermal control will be pursued to the extent possible to reduce complexity, mass, and cost.
- Package components to be thermally conditioned in one location if possible.
- Assume payload structure is thermally optimized to be controlled by a common heat spreader.
- Passive heat spreader plate (i.e. a plate or block of material having high thermal conductivity, such as copper, aluminum, or diamond),
- Controlled to a set temperature range (0°C to 50°C) via heat pipes and heaters.
- Directly mount multiple subsystem components to the top side of the heat spreader plate (a two-sided heat spreader could be an option).
- Structure must be thermally isolated from the heat spreader to control heat leaks (the use of heat switches can be evaluated).
- Use of Variable Conductance Heat Pipes (VCHPs) to thermally connect to the radiator.
- Multi-Layered Insulation (MLI) will be used to cover the exterior surface of the thermal control system to protect it from the environment.
- Remote units will be evaluated separately and proper thermal controls will be placed.
- Heater will be used to survive the lunar night.
The MARE thermal control architecture proposed consists of a simple passive thermal control system, making this a reliable, cost and mass-effective approach. This system is composed of two thermally controlled zones on the top deck of the spacecraft to maintain science and vehicle components within operational and survival limits. Cooling is achieved with two high conductivity heat spreaders connected via hybrid Variable Conductance Heat Pipes (VCHPs) to two high conductivity radiators. In the proposal phase, two high conductivity aluminum encapsulated Annealed Pyrolytic Graphite (APG; also known as Thermally Annealed Pyrolytic Graphite (TPG), is a form of synthetic graphite that offers excellent in-plane thermal conductivity) heat spreaders were assumed as the heat spreader plate and the radiators. Driven by cost reduction, and the opportunity to leverage on existing SBIR contracts, these were replaced for testing for 2 HiK™ plate heat spreaders, one HiK™ plate radiator, and one Gas Charged Heat Pipe (GCHP) radiator.
The thermal links provide a means to control the heat leak from the heat spreaders, depending on the set-point. They conduct heat to the radiators when the heat spreader surface temperature is above the upper-temperature limit and turn off by heating the non-condensable gas reservoir, disconnecting the ammonia flow within the VCHP when the heat spreaders are below the lower temperature limit.
In order to survive the lunar night, thermostatically controlled Kapton heaters, directly fed from the primary battery input, provide the necessary heat to keep electrical components within operational and survival thermal limits. The survival heater power needed is approximately 55 watts. Multi-Layered Insulation (MLI) blankets will shroud all top deck components to reduce the amount of heat leak paths to the cold lunar environment and space environment. A thermal math model was developed for the proposed MARE Thermal Control System (TCS) architecture, and thermal analysis was performed for the worst cold and hot mission environments.
The results show that the TCS subsystem will protect the MARE payload from the worst-case hot mission environment with at least a 13°C margin for all components. Results also showed at least a 12°C margin for all components for a worst-case cold mission environment.
Shape-Shifting Technology to Adjust Thermal Control Systems Automatically
With lunar explorations on the horizon, including putting astronauts back on the Moon by 2025, NASA is investing $2 million in cutting-edge thermal technology to make regulating temperatures during missions possible. This technology will be developed by a team of researchers from Texas A&M University, the Boeing Company, and the Paragon Space Development Corporation. The team is focused on creating shape-shifting technology to adjust thermal control systems automatically. The proposed solutions incorporate shape-shifting metals that adjust their own heat rejection based on how hot or cold they are, solving the problem. Prototypes of the morphing radiator were developed and successfully tested the prototypes in a small thermal vacuum chamber at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
Carbon Fiber Thermal Management Solutions by KULR Technology
KULR Technology, a subsidiary of KT High-Tech Marketing Inc. announced that its carbon fiber thermal management solutions, in particular, custom-designed phase change heat sinks, will be used on NASA JPL missions – the CubeSat/SmallSat Lunar Flashlight mission and the Mars mission as part of the Mars Rover SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environment with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals) equipment. For both missions, the KULR Technology heat sinks will keep critical and sensitive components such as lasers and corresponding sensors at a cool and consistent temperature throughout their use, avoiding signal distortion or other complications that can arise from overheating.
The KULR design included in the “Lunar Flashlight” and “SHERLOC” projects is a unique and highly effective phase-change system that incorporates KULR’s proprietary, highly conductive vertical carbon fiber architecture with a material similar to wax that can change from solid to liquid while absorbing high amounts of heat energy. The combination of materials designed and assembled by KULR to exact specifications will draw heat safely away from sensors and other components needed to efficiently study lunar ice formations or scan for signs of life on Mars.
For the Lunar mission, if the Flashlight laser gets above 24 Celsius the data can degrade – jeopardizing the entire point of the mission. So, keeping it below 24 Celsius while the laser is spewing out heat at more than 100 Celsius is the trick. Among the more promising uses for KULR’s carbon fiber is dramatically improving battery safety. KULR, in development and testing with NASA, has developed a thermal shield that can prevent dangerous lithium-ion battery fires and explosions due to thermal runaway. KULR also announced an agreement with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, to be the exclusive manufacturing partner of the Internal Short-Circuit (ISC) device that can cause predictable lithium-ion cell failures in controlled conditions.
Flight Thermal Control System for the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER
NASA awarded Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (ACT) a $3.7 million contract to finalize the design and fabricate the flight thermal control system for the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER.
VIPER, an important part of the Artemis program, is a golf cart-sized rover that will roam several miles across the South Pole of the Moon to get a close-up view of the location and concentration of ice during its approximately 100-day mission. The Artemis program will accomplish many “firsts” for NASA and the global space community. VIPER is NASA’s first lunar robotic rover and is the first resource-mapping mission on the surface of another celestial body. Additionally, the thermal control system developed jointly by ACT and NASA will be the first to maintain operation for a 100-day mission while in shadowed conditions. “It’s exciting to demonstrate some of the best passive thermal management solutions on such an important mission,” said Bill Anderson, Chief Engineer at ACT.
For this contract, Advanced Cooling Technologies (ACT) will deliver a combination of high-performance, passive thermal technologies specifically designed to meet the challenges associated with a long-term lunar mission.
- Loop Heat Pipes (LHPs) with integral Thermal Control Valves (TCVs)
- External Ammonia Constant Conductance Heat Pipes (CCHPs)
- Honeycomb Radiator Panels with embedded Constant Conductance Heat Pipes (CCHPs)
In addition to the flight articles (i.e. components; also assemblies and subsystems), ACT will be providing system and subsystem level thermal analysis (i.e. a technique used to analyze the time and temperature at which physical changes occur when a substance is heated or cooled), verification, and thermal testing in coordination with the teams at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. All flight articles were delivered by June 2022, meeting NASA’s critical launch schedule.
One of the most challenging aspects of VIPER’s mission is operating in shadowed conditions. Due to the slow rotation of the lunar surface relative to the sun, the environmental temperature drops to below 100K (-280F) for approximately 14 earth days. This condition has been avoided in the past, including the Apollo mission which landed in the lunar morning. To enable long-duration science missions on the lunar surface it is necessary to maintain the electronics above survival temperature while in shadows. The hardware ACT is developing reduces the amount of survival heat needed by an order of magnitude – from 100s of Watts to 10s. This significantly reduces the amount of solar power generation and mass required on the rover; ultimately extending life and functionality.
TRIPS (Thermal, Radiation Radiation and Impact Protective Shields) Technology Development Approach
The proposed concept is to undertake a steady, evolutionary technology development approach, with the long-term goal of developing nano-based materials for use in aerocapture (uses a planet’s or moon’s atmosphere to accomplish a quick, near-propellantless orbit insertion maneuver to place a spacecraft in its science orbit) and entry vehicles employed in robotic and human exploration missions. The materials would constitute a single-shield system, capable of simultaneous protection against aerodynamic atmospheric heating (occurs when aerobraking is used to modify the orbit of a spacecraft arriving at a planet with an atmosphere), solar and cosmic radiation, and micrometeorite/orbital debris strikes.
Concept: Nanotechnology-Based Shield for Solar Particles and Cosmic Rays
Lightweight materials such as hydrogen (the lightest element in the periodic table; the most abundant element in the universe), lithium (a soft, silvery-white alkali metal), and boron (in its crystalline form it is a brittle, dark, lustrous metalloid; in its amorphous form it is a brown powder) make better radiation shields than those made of high atomic weight systems since less secondary radiation is produced during the collision process with high-speed cosmic rays and solar particles. This is in contrast to X-rays (a penetrating form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation) and gamma rays (a penetrating form of electromagnetic radiation arising from the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei), which are better shielded by heavy materials.
While not as effective as hydrogen, carbon is also an effective radiation shield. Carbon chain polymers (the backbones are composed of linkages between carbon atoms; in heterochain polymers, a number of other elements are linked together in the backbones, including oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and silicon) such as polyethylene (the most common plastic in use today) or polystyrene (a synthetic aromatic hydrocarbon polymer made from the monomer known as styrene) contain a significant fraction of hydrogen and are often used in radiation shielding. For baseline NASA radiation shielding comparisons, polyethylene is the standard material.
Polymer-carbon nanotube (CNT) composites have the potential to improve radiation shielding performance if the nanotubes can be functionalized, or filled with significant amounts of hydrogen, lithium, or boron. Given the high strength of carbon nanotubes, these properties may enable a multifunctional material with high strength and high radiation shielding capability to be fabricated.
Approaches for Attaching Lightweight Atomic Species in Carbon Nanotubes and Making Fibers
Many approaches have been developed recently to functionalize and or fill carbon nanotubes with a variety of materials. Perhaps the largest interest comes from the fuel cell industry, where there is potential for a huge market for reversible hydrogen storage. These techniques are based either on the use of high pressure, electrochemical methods, or filling by capillary action (it causes the water in the thinnest tube to rise to a higher level than in the other tubes) as the nanotube is formed. The results have been somewhat disappointing, especially in terms of hydrogen storage, where early claims of large storage capability were later refuted.
Another method of functionalization (the process of adding new functions, features, capabilities, or properties to a material by changing the surface chemistry of the material) is ion implantation (allows precise control over the depth of penetration of dopant atoms into the silicon). This is a technique common in the electronics industry but has not received as much attention as the other methods for filling nanotubes, since the technique is not reversible. For NASA applications in radiation shielding, reversibility is not an issue, since the desire is to have the hydrogen a permanent part of the material. Furthermore, the method is compatible with either pre- or post-processing of carbon nanotube-polymer composites. This may be advantageous because many groups (such as the U.S. Army Research Labs) are working on the development of high-strength carbon nanotube-polymer composites for other applications such as bulletproof vests. Post-processing the best composites developed within or outside of NASA using hydrogen ion implantation may be an efficient use of resources.
In the ion implantation technique, ions are implanted directly into the composite with the energy selected for penetration through the film thickness. For a given energy, the distribution of the ions in the material is roughly Gaussian. Varying the energy can provide a more uniform distribution. Minimal damage to the composite during implantation will result if the film or fiber is relatively thin, enabling the use of low ion energy beams which will not break the carbon-carbon bonds and still penetrate through the proper depth. Once implanted, the hydrogen may functionalize or form a covalent bond (consists of the mutual sharing of one or more pairs of electrons between two atoms; these electrons are simultaneously attracted by the two atomic nuclei; a covalent bond forms when the difference between the electronegativities of two atoms is too small for an electron transfer to occur to form ions) with the interior or exterior of the nanotube, as well as form molecular hydrogen (H2; an abundant energy carrier, mostly produced from natural gas by steam reforming, and it is also the fuel of choice for a sustainable future, particularly if produced from water and biomass), inside the tubes or in the interstices (i.e. small or narrow spaces or intervals between things or parts).
Scientists have identified two methods of ion implantation (i.e. a low-temperature process by which ions of one element are accelerated into a solid target, thereby changing the physical, chemical, or electrical properties of the target; used in semiconductor device fabrication and in metal finishing, as well as in materials science research) that may be useful in this application. The first uses a commercially available ion gun (an instrument that generates a beam of heavy ions with a well-defined energy distribution), which simply accelerates and implants directly into the sample. The second method is plasma immersion (PIII; or pulsed-plasma doping, pulsed PIII, is a surface modification technique for extracting the accelerated ions from the plasma) or plasma source ion implantation (PSII; an ion‐implantation technique that has been optimized for surface modification of materials such as metals, plastics, and ceramics). In this technique, the sample is immersed in a low-temperature plasma chamber filled with hydrogen or other species. When the sample is biased to a negative voltage, electrons are driven away and ions are accelerated towards the sample and become implanted. It can be shown that if the energy of the ions is kept below 70 eV (an electronvolt is the measure of an amount of kinetic energy gained by a single electron accelerating from rest through an electric potential difference of one volt in vacuum), the ions will penetrate and dope thin samples but not dislocate carbon atoms from the nanotube lattice, thus retaining the high strength characteristics of the fibers. The method has many advantages over beam-line ion implantation, including a high dose rate and uniform coverage.
Thermal Properties of Lunar Dust
Solar absorptance (𝛼, alpha) and thermal emittance (𝜀n and 𝜀) of spacecraft materials are critical parameters in determining spacecraft temperature control. Because thickness, surface preparation, coatings formulation, manufacturing techniques, etc. affect these parameters, it is usually necessary to measure the absorptance and emittance of materials before they are used. Also, because most materials exhibit some amount of dye degradation to outgassing (i.e. the release of trapped gas or vapor that was previously dissolved, trapped, frozen, or absorbed in the solid), ultraviolet, and or particle damage, it is necessary to conduct laboratory testing on these materials before certifying them for use in space.
In order to survive the hot and cold extremes of the lunar environment, a vehicle would ideally use an outer insulation layer with a low solar absorptivity (a low solar absorption variation means that the solar transmittance is regulated partly via reflection), to reduce the heat absorbed during periods of illumination (to reflect the solar radiation), and a low IR emissivity (i.e. low infrared emissivity; a surface condition that emits low levels of radiant thermal (heat) energy), to reduce the heat lost during periods of darkness. However, previous lunar experience has shown that lunar dust is extremely effective in coating external surfaces. As well as being potentially kicked up by the wheels of the rover, charged solar particles can levitate dust up to 10 m from the surface as they pass through the solar terminus. An accumulation of dust on radiators over time is possible and it is necessary to cover the radiators and solar arrays before passing from lunar day into lunar night. There also exists the possibility that in passing in and out of shadows (such as boulder shadows) lunar dust may levitate the performance of radiators and solar arrays will decrease as dust thickness on them increases. The location of radiator surfaces along with mitigating actions to reduce dust must be considered in the system design. Locating radiators on the top surface will avoid dust contamination during rover operation.
Being so small, under 20 microns in diameter, the dust can easily wear away at any
exposed equipment. The dust can also become electrostatically charged due to radiation,
increasing its ability to cling to objects. Dust coating on the outer MLI will increase the absorptivity and emissivity. For the most robust design, a black insulation outer layer may be selected, as the optical properties will be relatively unaffected by the addition of a layer of lunar dust.
By using a pigment-treated paint, the electrical charge of lunar dust in contact with the spacecraft’s components can be reduced. The paint relies on atomic layer deposition (ALD) to dissipate electricity, thereby preventing dust from clinging to the spacecraft. Additionally, all motors and electronic components should be sealed to protect them from dust.
Solar Illumination – Radiator Location and Sizing
The thermal performance of the rover during periods of solar illumination is determined by the size and placement of radiator surfaces, along with the rover body insulation. Because of the impact of lunar dust on the optical properties of the insulation outer surface, a black outer layer has been taken as the baseline to provide the most robust system design.
The most effective radiator location provides the radiator with a view to cold space whilst avoiding viewing the lunar surface and avoiding direct solar illumination. Radiators located on the rover side walls would have a minimum 50% view of the lunar surface, with a greater view in areas with boulders or sloping terrain. In addition, because of the low angle of the sunlight with the ground plane, the rover side walls will experience high solar flux (i.e. concentrated sunlight; a measure of how much light energy is being radiated in a given area). For these reasons, the rover’s top surface is a much better candidate for radiator placement.
The upper surface of a lunar rover will be exposed to direct solar flux when operating on sloped terrain. Radiators exposed to direct flux absorb a large amount of heat, leading to a feedback runaway in radiator sizing. This effect can be seen in the preliminary radiator sizing. As the ground angle increases, the incident solar flux on a radiator located on the rover’s top surface increases, leading to a runaway in the required radiator area.
To avoid this runaway, it is necessary to shield the radiator surfaces from the solar flux. For radiators located on the rover side walls, it would be necessary to position side radiator surfaces out of direct sunlight, which would seriously inhibit the rover’s movement and operation. Therefore it is preferable to limit the required radiator area to the top rover surface only, and protect this surface from direct solar illumination, either using the solar array or some additional structure. Limiting the radiator area to the rover’s top surface will also limit the impact of lunar dust on radiator performance, and allows for the option of covering the radiator surface during periods of darkness to reduce heat loss to the environment.
Alternatively, the radiator surface could be located on the back surface of the solar array. This surface, by definition, will never be illuminated; however, there are additional complexities with this design option. The radiator surface must be thermally decoupled from solar array heating and must be well coupled to the rover body to reject heat. A radiator located on the back surface of the array would also have a view of the lunar surface, which would limit its overall efficiency.
The least complex, lowest mass option is to limit the radiator area to the rover’s top surface. In order to achieve this, it is required to limit the overall rover dissipation in addition to protecting the top surface from direct solar illumination. The baseline configuration uses deployed solar array panels to shadow the top surface. The panels have been sized to ensure that the top surface is completely shadowed when operating on a ground slope of 25° and the back surface has a mirror finish to reflect any incident solar flux away from the radiator surface.
Warm Electronics Box Panels
The equipment at the heart of a rover is protected by a low conductivity, lightweight enclosure typically referred to as a warm electronics box (WEB). The outer layer of the vehicle provides structural integrity and protection against environmental loads and a warm electronics box shields vital components from the extremes of space.
The WEB is envisioned to combine structural and thermal insulation properties in order to withstand the mechanical loads while ensuring that the temperatures of the equipment inside are maintained within the operating limits. The resulting solution produces three different designs for the top, bottom, and lateral panels of the box.
The bottom panel facing the ground is designed to reduce the heat flux radiated outside so as to prevent the regolith from heating up. It is therefore constituted by a honeycomb structure made of an aluminum core and insulating carbon nanofibers (nanofibers fibers with diameters in the nanometer range, typically, between 1 nm and 1 μm; carbon nanofibres, CNFs are cylindrical nanostructures with graphene layers arranged as stacked cones, cups or plates) composite face sheets. On the external side, the surface is coated with the MLI. On the internal side, the structure is cladded (refers to components that are attached to the primary structure to form non-structural, external surfaces) with a layer of silica aerogel (a solid material of extremely low density, produced by removing the liquid component from a conventional gel), which is in turn covered with a low conductivity E-glass fibers/epoxy (also known as electrical glass is the standard glass composition used for most glass fibers; extremely strong materials used in roofing, automobiles, pipes, textile industry, composite materials, and are present in 90% of reinforcements; was originally developed for stand off insulators for electrical wiring) composite sheet. Silica aerogel has a proven history of exceptional thermal insulation performance in space.
Due to the vacuum conditions, the thermal conductivity of 12 × 10−3 𝑊/𝑚 (Weight/mass) is used in sizing the insulation layer to accommodate the performance of the WEB. The aerogel is opacified (i.e. made opaque, not transparent) to reduce the transmission of IR radiation across the wall. The glass-epoxy composite layer protects the underlying aerogel and offers a substrate to support the electronics.
Finally, this surface is covered by a goldized Kapton film that ensures additional retainment of the heat radiated by the equipment inside the box. A similar configuration characterizes the lateral panels, with few changes. Here, the innermost goldized Kapton coating is replaced by a black-painted Kapton layer. The high emissivity value of this film (𝜀 = 0.92) allows for achieving more uniform temperatures. MLI is replaced by a surface coating with an emissivity 𝜀 = 0.4 and an absorptivity 𝛼 = 0.3. These optical properties can be matched either by vacuum-deposited silver and Inconel-backed Teflon or by aluminized Kapton.
However, Teflon (Polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE; a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene that has numerous applications) is recommended due to its thermal resistance ranging from -184 to 150°C. Finally, the top panel is designed to achieve higher radiative heat exchanges with the external environment in order to avoid internal equipment overheating. This translates into a replacement of the carbon composite facesheets covering the inner aluminum honeycomb core with more conductive aluminum face sheets. Moreover, both the silica aerogel and the glass-epoxy insulating layers are eliminated. Therefore, the honeycomb structure is internally coated with black paint and externally covered with backed Teflon.
The Moon is looked at as the first possible mission site for the exploration robots, as funding appears to be most easily acquirable due to a need for reconnaissance and mapping in view of future planned human deployment.
The discussed mission concept would allow several advantages compared to a traditional rover mission, mainly due to less restricted mobility restraints, especially in caves and heavily cratered terrain. Such a mission would set the stage for later life detection missions, for example on Mars or Jupiter’s Galilean Moons. The decision on a thermal control mechanism installation must be carefully evaluated.
As the majority of the proposed concepts and components must still be developed to meet specifications, in essence, a curved Variable Emittance Coating surface and a small lightweight heat switch, a thorough analysis must be conducted. Because the use of a thermal control provision has a direct influence on system cost, weight, complexity, energy requirement, and mission flexibility, all these effects must be included in the study to see if such a system is worthwhile installing and pursuing.


Monday’s news that pharmaceutical company Pfizer’s early results on a new COVID-19 vaccine showed a 90% efficacy rate on an initial clinical trial have given concert professionals hope that the business can start mounting a return in 2021. As part of that preparation, Ticketmaster has been working on a framework for post-pandemic fan safety that uses smart phones to verify fans’ vaccination status or whether they’ve tested negative for the coronavirus within a 24 to 72 hour window.Many details of the plan, which is still in development phase, will rely on three separate components — the Ticketmaster digital ticket app, third party health information companies like CLEAR Health Pass or IBM’s Digital Health Pass and testing and vaccine distribution providers like Labcorp and the CVS Minute Clinic.
In a statement Friday, Ticketmaster sought to clarify the report.
“We have noticed there has been some misreporting around safety protocols. To clarify, there is absolutely no requirement from Ticketmaster mandating vaccines/testing.
In short, we are not forcing anyone to do anything. Just exploring the ability to enhance our existing digital ticket capabilities to offer solutions for event organizers that could include testing and vaccine information with 3rd party health providers. Just a tool in the box for those that may want to use.
There is absolutely no requirement from Ticketmaster mandating vaccines/testing for future events. Unfortunately, this has been widely reported and is incorrect. Ticketmaster does not have the power to set policies around safety/entry requirements, which would include vaccines and/or testing protocols. That would always be up to the discretion of the event organizer, based on their preferences and local health guidelines.
We are exploring a number of safety features for event organizers to utilize as they look to welcome fans back to events. This includes tools from Ticketmaster’s recently announced SmartEvent suite like social distanced seating, contactless entry and more (read more info on SmartEvent here). Again, the event organizer will determine what, if any, of these measures are implemented at their individual event, not Ticketmaster.”


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Bills showing improvement in past 2 games
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — After a poor first half of the season, the Buffalo Bills are in position to close the season on a roll.
Following a 24-21 win over Jacksonville on Sunday, the Bills (4-7) have won two straight and shown noticeable improvement in recent weeks.
Though a return to the playoffs may be far-fetched, four of Buffalo's final five opponents have losing records — which puts the team in position to show its recent run is no fluke.
"It's about us growing and developing a strong foundation and the culture that we want and doing things the right way, creating a mindset," Bills coach Sean McDermott said.
"You're seeing yesterday some of the fruits of that labor and the guys buying into that. Not that they didn't buy in before, but we're developing now and you're starting to see some of the results on the field."
A strong finish to the season would go a long way in providing McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane validation with their youth movement.
The biggest change in recent weeks has been the uptick in production on offense. For the first time this season, the Bills have scored 24 or more points and topped 300 yards in back-to-back games.
Journeyman quarterback Matt Barkley first breathed life into the offense, throwing for 232 yards in a 41-10 win over the New York Jets. The upswing continued in rookie Josh Allen's return to the lineup after the QB missed four games with an elbow injury.
On Sunday, Allen threw for 160 yards — which included a 75-yard touchdown pass to fellow rookie Robert Foster — and ran for 99 yards, establishing a franchise record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a game.
"Love the energy he brought," Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll said of Allen. "Competitive. Gotta be smart and know when to get out of bounds but made plays with his legs, made plays with his arm. He had a good game, but we've got to build off that and be better next week."
Foster and Isaiah McKenzie have provided a jolt to the Bills passing game, adding some much-needed speed to open things up on offense.
While promising, the Bills still have plenty to clean up offensively. Aside from the long touchdown pass, Allen completed seven throws for 85 yards against Jacksonville and had other big gains wiped out by penalties. Penalties were an issue for both teams; Buffalo finished with 13.
Buffalo's run defense was also vulnerable against the Jaguars. The Bills allowed 95 yards and two touchdowns to Leonard Fournette on 18 attempts before Fournette was ejected late in the third quarter following a scuffle.
The Bills grabbed the upper hand following Fournette's skirmish with defensive end Shaq Lawson — which they felt was more than just a momentary boost.
"That was a huge moment for our defense in this season," safety Jordan Poyer said. "Not just in this game, but in this season in giving us confidence that we can. This defense has come a long way since the beginning of the season and we are just going to continue to work and continue to put ourselves out there on the field."
Buffalo's next opponent is the Miami Dolphins (5-6), who have lost four of their past five games.
"We focus on one game at a time," McDermott said. "That's really where our focus is."
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/tag/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

domain: news


text:
Date & Time
The Garden City Field House is the place to be this November for a fine selection of items from juried artists and craftsmen. Browse pottery, jewelry, carved wood, Christmas ornaments, and much more!
Admission: $5 Per Person (Under 12 are free)
Advertise With Us
at Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post
at Muse Paintbar
at Pinot's Palette
at AR Workshop Patchogue

domain: artistic


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This Summer’s AMOA-National Dart Association’s (NDA) Junior Tournament, held June 10-12, 2022 at the Courtyard Sioux City Convention Center Hotel in Sioux City, Iowa, significantly raised the bar on participation levels, with a record 346 players from nine states turning out for the three-day event.
Since 2014, NDA has been conducting an annual soft-tip darting event for players 18 or younger, and up until this year, there has been incremental growth in attendance.
A pent-up demand in the wake of the pandemic, combined with increased efforts by NDA and its charterholders to promote its youth program, resulted in an impressive 58 percent surge in player numbers over last year’s tournament.
A total of 21 NDA operator (charterholder) members were represented with players this year and the total number of certificates expanded to 778, which also equated to a 58 percent jump from the 2021 tourney in Wisconsin Dells, WI.
Featuring singles, doubles and mixed Youth-Adult Triples events, kids were awarded prizes—trophies and gift cards. And all players received t-shirts to commemorate their participation in this year’s event.
Based on the strong enthusiasm in the tourney and keen interest in the sport, next year’s Junior Dart Tournament, set for June 9-11, 2023 at the Chula Vista Resort & Waterpark in Wisconsin Dells, WI, promises to be another stellar program.
For more information, visit www.ndadarts.com


NIOSHTIC-2 Publications Search
An analysis of air volume - flowrate determinations for mines.
Min Sci Technol 1987 Nov; 6(1):17-29
The proper control and distribution of ventilation air is a key aspect in the productivity of an underground mining operation and is crucial to the health and safety of mine workers. Accurate measurement of air velocity is an essential component in achieving effective ventilation planning and control. However, the measurement methodology and application is problematic, especially in the use of correction factors. This paper examines the accuracy of these factors as they are affected by measurement location, instrument, and flow characteristics. Definitive recommendations are presented to improve the accuracy of flowrate determinations.
Mining-industry; Underground-mining; Ventilation; Ventilation-systems
OP; Journal Article
Issue of Publication
Mining Science & Technology
Page last reviewed: September 2, 2020
Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Education and Information Division


Archived: LabVIEW 6.1 Running on Linux Kernel 2.6 Hangs on Launch ScreenThis document has been archived and is no longer updated by National Instruments
Primary Software Version: 6.1
Primary Software Fixed Version: N/A
Secondary Software: N/A
After I install LabVIEW 6.1 on a distribution of Linux using kernel 2.6, LabVIEW crashes or hangs on the launch screen.
The problem is that kernel 2.6 turns on a filesystem optimization by default, which causes the current and parent directory entries (. and ..) to no longer appear first in the output of the system call that reads directory contents (readir()). This change causes LabVIEW to crash or hang on launch.
To turn off the feature in the filesystem and restore the ability to run LabVIEW,
log in as root user and enter the following:
# tune2fs -O "^dir_index" /dev/hda1
where /dev/hda1 is the directory where LabVIEW is installed.
Do this for every local filesystem you might access while in LabVIEW. Use "
Measurement and Control Products for Linux
National Instruments and Linux: Frequently Asked Questions
KnowledgeBase 3ANAI1DW: Why Do I Get Segmentation Fault Errors When Installing LabVIEW 7.1 and Earlier on Linux?
Report Date: 10/12/2007
Last Updated: 07/09/2008
Document ID: 4EB9STZ5


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I realize that it's been a while since I've posted any recipes. A busy mom here during awake time and a busy working woman during nap time has got me to where I can't write about both.
However, I have been learning about the value of wholesome cooking/baking and I wanted to share this recipe that I have been working on. It's been a work in progress for ages, so I hope you enjoy it!Soaked Whole grain, applesauce oatmeal muffins (115 cals each)Makes 12 muffins
-1 C cooked oatmeal (leftovers) or 1/3 C raw old fashioned oats & 2/3 C milk
-1 C unsweetened applesauce
-1 tsp vanilla
-2 T olive oil or melted coconut oil
-1/4 C milk/whey/buttermilk
-splash of apple cider vinegar
-1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
-1/4 C Raisins (optional)
Mix all ingredients and let them soak for 6-24 hours. The longer, the better.
-1 T baking soda
-1 T cinnamon
-2 large eggs-Stevia to taste (Trader Joe's brand is about 1/8 tsp)
Butter muffin tins and bake at 375 until toothpick is almost clean.
Delish alone or smothered in homemade strawberry jam.


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Routine Dental Examinations
Equine dentistry has evolved rapidly from just rasping teeth and our team of experienced equine vets have all undertaken further training to ensure that we are providing a thorough and detailed examination as well as the necessary teeth rasping.
Our routine dental examination includes:
1. Thorough assessment of all teeth and oral soft tissue with the aid of dental mirrors and picks
2. Rasping - careful reduction of sharp points and balancing of arcades
3. Identification of abnormalities - for example cavities, fractured teeth and abnormal spaces between teeth
Watch a detailed dental examination here
We advise every horse should have a dental examination every 6 -12 months. Many minor problems can be corrected immediately, or we may advise corrective or advanced treatments to prevent more serious problems developing.
Monthly Dental Clinics
These are held at the clinic and all horses, ponies and donkeys are welcome!
The clinic includes:
- A dental examination and floating
- FREE oral camera (oroscope) exam
- Sedation included
Cost is £65 (inc VAT)
Advanced Dental Services
In addition to our routine dental service offered by our experienced equine vets, we also offer a number of advanced dental procedures.
Our advanced dental procedures include:
- Advanced Diagnostics
- Oral Video Endoscopy
- Occlusal Equilibration
- Digital Radiography
- Periodontal Therapy
- Restorative Dentistry
- Oral Extractions done under standing sedation
- Surgical Extractions
- Fracture Repair
We also work alongside regular visiting Equine Specialists to offer your horse the best treatment possible.
For advice, case referral or to make an appointment, please call us on 01577 841010

domain: medical


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A shocked teenager broke down in floods of happy tears when her older brothers surprised her with a canvas portrait of her late dog.
Jennifer Zevallos, 17, from Cathedral City, California, was extremely close to her Maltese pooch, Mona, before she had to be put to sleep in April of this year.
Mona was diagnosed with breast cancer, leaving the family with the tough decision of putting Mona down due to the high costs of treatment and low chances of survival.
Jennifer was heartbroken – and so her older brothers, Jesus Zevallos, 23, and Alexis Zavellos, 20, decided to think of ways to cheer her up.
A month later, on May 7, Jennifer entered her room, where she discovered a large package.
After she opened the box, Jennifer slid out the canvas and turned it around to reveal the sweet gift – a giant portrait of Mona.
As soon as she realized what was on the canvas, Jennifer immediately covered her mouth in shock and began to cry.
Her father, Marco, 45, shared the footage on TikTok to glowing reviews – even putting up a follow-up video to show how Mona’s portrait looked on his daughter’s wall.
Marco said: “Jennifer was very sad about her little dog, as she had had Mona since she was a puppy.
“Mona had breast cancer and required surgery, but she was only given a 50 percent chance to make it.
“The surgery was super expensive and with only a slim chance of survival, so she decided to put her to sleep to save her from the pain.
“Her two brothers decided to surprise her with the canvas, and when I posted the video on TikTok, her response went viral.”
Story courtesy of T&T Creative Media


Browse the CollectionBuy Now >>
70 in(97 cm x 178 cm)
This piece was inspired by two photographs I took in Singapore. An image inside a dome greenhouse blends into an image outside the greenhouse. Both people and plants are “aloft.” I was fascinated by the curved lines provided by the elevated walkways, soaring trellises, and curved building.
Polyester, cotton, canvas
Photoshopped, digitally printed, machine quilted


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Are you looking for an easy homemade shake and bake that is Keto friendly? Looking for a quick recipe to replace bread crumbs in your favorite dish? Below is one of my favorite Copycat Shake, Bake Keto, and Low Carb Friendly!
Are you missing that crispy, crunchy taste of Shake and Bake? Don’t worry- it’s easy to make at home! This homemade shake-and-bake recipe allows you to enjoy your favorite flavor without sacrificing nutrition. It is versatile enough for chicken and pork chops as a classic family dinner option and complies with the Keto diet by eliminating all refined sugars. This copycat version of Shake and Bake will quickly become a go-to staple meal in your household, allowing you to indulge in the flavors you know and love while having a healthier alternative for those nights when comfort food cravings kick in.
Keto Shake and Bake Recipe
Keto shake and bake coating is a great way to add flavor and crunch to your favorite meats while following a low-carb, high-fat diet. This coating is made with almond flour, Parmesan cheese, and spices, providing a delicious and crispy exterior to your meats.
Shake-and-bake coating is a quick and easy way to create flavorful and healthy meals, and it can be used on various types of meat, such as chicken, pork chops, and fish. Read on to learn more about making and using a keto shake and bake coating to enhance your favorite recipes.
Ingredients List Needed For Homemade Keto Shake And Bake
This easy dinner recipe is a perfect way to season up pieces of chicken or pork dishes. And it’s quick enough for the whole family to love. Nothing is better than a gluten-free and low-carb-friendly meal for the whole family.
Remember the step-by-step directions is below in the full recipe card at the bottom of the page, as well as the nutrition facts.
- Pork Rind Panko: You can buy crushed pork rinds or crush your pork panko.
- Almond Flour: You can also use coconut flour or protein powder
- Seasonings and Spices: Kosher Salt, Celery Salt, Paprika, Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Garlic Salt, Minced Dried Onions (or Onion Powder), Dried Parsley, Dried Oregano, and Dried Basil.
How To Make Homemade Keto Shake and Bake
Whether you just started the keto diet or have been on it for years, one thing is for sure – making your own homemade Keto Shake and Bake meal can be a delicious treat.
Plus, it’s easy to make and can help you stay on track with your nutrition goals while still satisfying those cravings. Here we’ll share the techniques and recipes to create these quick-and-easy ketogenic meals that are flavorful, nutritious, low-carb, and oh-so-yummy!
Mix all of the ingredients into a large bowl, then transfer to an airtight container or close bag, and give the bake a quick healthy shake.
Pro Tips For Making Homemade Keo Shake n’ Bake
Here are some pro tips for making homemade keto shake and bake seasoning:
- Use a food processor: To ensure that your seasoning is evenly mixed and blended, use a food processor to combine the ingredients. This will also help break down any larger spices or ingredients, creating a finer texture that will stick better to your meats.
- Adjust seasoning to your taste: Shake and bake seasoning is all about personal preference, so adjust the seasoning to your liking. Start with the basic ingredients like almond flour, Parmesan cheese, and spices, and add more of your favorite spices for extra flavor.
- Use high-quality ingredients: To ensure that your shake-and-bake seasoning tastes great, use high-quality ingredients. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, high-quality spices, and fresh herbs will all make a big difference in the flavor of your seasoning.
- Store in an airtight container: Once you’ve made your shake-and-bake seasoning, store it in an airtight container to keep it fresh. This will also make it easy to access whenever you’re ready to use it.
- Experiment with different meats: Shake-and-bake seasoning isn’t just for chicken. Use it on pork chops, fish, or vegetables for a delicious and crispy coating.
- Use the right amount of seasoning: Be careful not to use too much seasoning, as this can make the coating too salty or overpowering. A light coating is all you need to add flavor and texture to your meats.
- Shake well: When using the shake and bake seasoning, be sure to shake the meat or vegetables well in the coating to ensure that it’s evenly distributed. This will help ensure the meat cooks evenly and is coated with a crispy, delicious coating.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the keto Copycat Recipe Shake and bake seasoning?
Keto shake and bake seasoning is a homemade seasoning blend that is used to coat meats such as chicken or pork chops before baking or air frying. It is a low-carb alternative to traditional shake-and-bake seasoning and typically includes ingredients such as almond flour, Parmesan cheese, and various spices.
How do I make a keto shake and bake seasoning?
To make a keto shake and bake seasoning, you will need a combination of almond flour, grated Parmesan cheese, and spices such as paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Simply mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and use as desired.
Is shake-and-bake seasoning keto-friendly?
Traditional shake-and-bake seasoning typically contains breadcrumbs, which are not keto-friendly due to their high carbohydrate content. However, keto-friendly shake-and-bake seasoning can be made by using almond flour or other low-carb flour as a substitute for breadcrumbs.
Can I use store-bought seasoning instead of making my own?
Yes, you can use store-bought seasoning if you prefer. Just be sure to check the label for any added sugars or high-carb ingredients that may not be keto-friendly.
What meats can I use with keto shake and bake seasoning?
A: You can use a keto shake and bake seasoning with various types of meat, including chicken, pork chops, fish, and even vegetables. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time and temperature based on the type of meat you are using.
Can I keep a large batch of shake-and-bake poultry seasoning on hand?
You can make a large batch of shake-and-bake seasoning and store it in an airtight container for future use. Just be sure to keep it in a cool, dry place to prevent any moisture from affecting the texture and flavor of the seasoning.
More Keto Recipes
Keto Shake and Bake Homemade Copycat Recipe
- 2 1/2 cups pork rind panko
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 tablespoon celery salt
- 1/2 tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon minced dried onions, or onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon parsley, dried
- 1/8 teaspoon oregano, dried
- 1/8 teaspoon basil, dried
- In a large bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients, and store in a n airtight container.


German luxury car manufacturer, BMW has launched the 330i Gran Turismo ‘Shadow Edition’ in India at a special ex-showroom price of Rs 42.50 lakh. The petrol variant is locally produced at the BMW plant in Chennai. The newly launched BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo Shadow Edition is available in four colour options – alpine white, melbourne red metallic, black sapphire metallic and estoril blue metallic.
The BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo ‘Shadow Edition’ is available in M Sport design scheme. Distinctive highlights include high gloss black nine slat kidney grille and dark shadow elements that extend to the LED headlights and the taillights. The vehicle rides on 18-inch star-spoke jet black alloy wheels and it also gets black chrome exhaust tailpipe to complement the overall esthetics.
As for the interior, the BMW 330i Gran Turismo ‘Shadow Edition’ offers multiple upholstery options, such as – sensatec black with a red highlight, black and sensatec veneto beige and veneto beige. Additionally, the vehicle gets aluminium door sill plates, key with M logo, M sports leather steering wheel, mood-lifting colours of ambient lighting and chrome edging of air vents. Moreover, the BMW cockpit offers easy access to all controls and the seating position has been raised to offer better comfort. The new model gets panorama glass roof, while the universal wireless charging is offered as a complimentary accessory. The vehicle gets BMW ConnectedDrive that features BMW iDrive (the on-board Driver Information system) with 8.7-inch display, touch functionality based BMW Navigation system Professional with 3D maps (integrated Global Positioning System-GPS), BMW apps, Park Distance Control (PDC), rearview camera, Apple CarPlay, connectivity through Bluetooth and USB/AUX IN connectivity.
Under the hood, the BMW 330i Gran Turismo ‘Shadow Edition’ is powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine that generates 248bhp and 350Nm of torque at 1,450 – 4,800rpm. This engine comes mated to an eight-speed Steptronic Sport automatic transmission. The vehicle is capable of sprinting from 0-100kmph in 6.1-seconds.
In terms of safety, the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo ‘Shadow Edition’ gets six airbags, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with brake assist, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) including Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), side-impact protection, runflat tyres with reinforced sidewalls, emergency spare wheel, electronic vehicle immobiliser, a fully automated and chargeable key and a crash sensor.
BMW is accepting online booking for the 3 Series Gran Turismo ‘Shadow Edition’. Customers will receive their new car at the place of their choice after a thorough sanitisation process along with handover of all vehicle documents in a sanitised envelope. Deliveries will be initiated adhering to all local government directives post the lockdown period.


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Chocolate Candy Bar Pudding Pie
A creamy dreamy pudding pie infused with chocolate, nestled in my favorite graham cracker crust and topped off with decadent candy bar pieces – yes, we’re doing this. I can’t think of a better way to kick off the summer season!
This recipe is deliciously simple, requiring just 5 ingredients and basic methods. This dessert literally takes less than 5 minutes to prep. It’s the perfect make-ahead treat before a gathering or summer party. Throw on some chopped MILKA OREO Chocolate Candy Bar and what you have is one seriously addictive pie.
The only real “work” is letting this pie chill before slicing into it. Oh man is that chilling time sheer torture. You don’t know how many times I peeked into the fridge for a sample, but somehow resisted. Patience, my young ones. It’s worth the wait.
What does it taste like? Something like heaven on earth. It’s:
You get the idea – it’s amazing!
Make this pie for birthdays, parties, and gatherings throughout the summer and beyond. It’s heat-free, will please a crowd, and travels well. Plus, who doesn’t like fluffy whipped topping, chocolate pudding and MILKA OREO Chocolate Candy?
Who knew OREO had a candy bar? Seriously, guys, it is so delicious and really sends the flavor of this pie over the top.
If you make this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #kimscravings on Instagram so we can all see. Seeing my recipes in your kitchens always makes my day. Enjoy, friends!
A creamy dreamy pudding pie infused with chocolate, nestled in my favorite graham cracker crust and topped off with decadent candy bar pieces - I can't think of a better way to kick off the summer season!
- 1 pkg. (4-serving size) chocolate instant pudding mix (I used sugar free)
- 1-1/2 cups milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
- 1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust (6 oz.) (I used Reduced Fat Ready Crust)
- 2 cups thawed frozen whipped topping , divided (I used Truwhip)
- 12 squares (4/5 of 3.5-oz. pkg.) MILKA OREO Chocolate Candy Bar , coarsely chopped
Beat pudding mix and milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min.; spoon half into crust.
Stir 1 cup whipped topping into remaining pudding; spoon over pudding layer in crust.
Top with remaining whipped topping and chopped candy bar.
Refrigerate 3 hours. Enjoy!
Try other favorite summer desserts!
Something to think about….
Have you tried the new MILKA OREO Chocolate Candy Bar? So good, guys! A must try!
I have some VERY good news – from 5/18 – 5/21, MILKA OREO will be hosting an in-store demo at select Walmart stores. They will also be giving out prizes just for visiting! Grab this coupon and give it a try!
You can find MILKA OREO down the candy aisle…
And at the front of the store…


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Welcome to the Shimek Library
A special thank you to the Brozene family and all of the volunteers who helped to set up, run, and tear down the book fair! We couldn't do it without you!
Students in grades 1-8 are encouraged to submit one page of writing for the 2016 One Book Two Book festival. This can be anything: story, essay, poem, song lyric, graphic novel, etc. Click the header to download detailed information.
In the computer lab, the students continue to practice manipulating the mouse. This week we decorated virtual gingerbread houses at http://www.jennybharris.com/activities/home/sweethome.htm The students loved it!
We are now reviewing the organization of the library, call numbers, and how to use the electronic card catalog.
We are now beginning a study of plagiarism (5th) and finding and using reliable sources (6th).

domain: literature


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The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has distributed more that $850,000 to 2,210 needy families under its assistance scheme, known as the zakat fund.
This year, each family received an extra 1.7 times the usual amount they get from the Muis zakat fund each month to help cope with living expenses, reported The Straits Times.
From the total amount, $206,010 was allotted to families with children who are schooling. This is called the reqab bonus.
The reqab bonus, which was introduced two years ago, is an extra amount given to these families to cope with the costs of textbooks and learning programmes.
The Straits Times said that this year, one-third of the families received between $100 and $300 of bonus, half the families received between $300 and $500 extra, and the remaining families received more than $500 extra.
Last year, only 1,890 families were eligible to receive the bonus from Muis.
Muis announced that five families have graduated from its Empowerment Partnership Scheme and will no longer receive monthly financial aid from the council as they are now able to cope with their own expenses.
The council aims to help more than 140 families graduate from the scheme by December 2012.

domain: sociology