NASA expects satellite to crash to earth this week

A defunct NASA science satellite dispatched by a space shuttle crew in 1991 will come crashing back to Earth soon, with debris most likely landing in an ocean or unpopulated region, NASA officials said.

In a statement released on its website on Sunday (September 18) NASA said re-entry was expected on Friday (September 23), “plus or minus a day.”
The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, or UARS, was turned off in 2005, becoming another piece of space junk loitering in Earth orbit.

Most of UARS will burn up in the atmosphere, but up to 26 individual pieces, with a combined mass of about 1,100 pounds (500 kg), will survive the fall, NASA officials told Reuters.

The largest chunk, part of the spacecraft s structure, is expected to be about 331 pounds (150 kg).

The debris most likely will land in an ocean or in an uninhabited region of Earth.

The satellite s orbit takes it over most of the planet, from as far north as northern Canada to the southern part of South America.

The satellite is so big, its plunge through the atmosphere will be visible — if anyone is around to see it, NASA said.

Swati terms his removal an honour

Azam Swati, former federal minister for Science & Technology, on Tuesday said that he is honoured to have been removed for unveiling corruption in Hajj affairs and thanked JUI-F leadership for their subsequent stance.

Talking to media at Lahore Airport after returning from Geneva, the former minister said that he revealed the Hajj scam without fearing of any consequences.

I have collected many evidences about all the accused, and resolved to take them to task. He denied having demanded the ministry for religious affairs and thanked the Supreme Court for listening to him.

Coalition on the rocks:JUI-F decides to join Opposition benches in Centre

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam on Thursday announced to sit on the Opposition benches in the joint session of the Parliament convened by the President on Dec 18, trendpk.com learnt.

Sources revealed that the JUI is likely to give a proper application to the Speaker National Assembly to get their seats allotted in Opposition benches. Former federal minister Maulana Ataur Rehman who resigned in protest against the sacking of Azam Swati, ex-minister for Science & Technology, has returned his official vehicle and staff and vacated his office as well, party sources divulged. On the other hand, JUI is also considering to part ways with the provincial governments both in Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan.

JUI ministers from GB and Balochistan met with Maulana Fazalur Rehman and deliberated upon the status quo.

Maulana also asked his partys ministers to stay ready to quit anytime soon. It merits to mention that Haji Gulbar Khan, Minister for Health, Youth Affairs and Ashr-o-Zakat besides two parliamentary secretaries at GB. Balochistans Deputy Speaker Syed Mutee Ullah also belonged to JUI besides three other cabinet ministers.

The JUI-F had first announced its decision to part ways with the PPP-led coalition government after Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani sacked JUI-F member and Minister for Science and Technology Azam Khan Swati from the federal cabinet.

Earlier, Federal Minister for Defence Ahmed Mukhtar has stated that Pakistan Peoples Party had chalked out a strategy to bring JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman back into the government. He was optimistic that PPP would woo Maulana, adding that he would return to the government soon.

Hajj Scandal: Kazmi, Swati Sent Packing

trendpk: In a move desperately awaited by the victims in particular and the public in general, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani dismissed two federal ministers: Hamid Saeed Kazmi, Minister for Religious Affairs, and Azam Khan Swati, Minister for Science & Technology over Hajj corruption scandal.

Minister for Labour & Manpower Khursheed Shah has been appointed as Minister for Religious Affairs, while Federal Education Minister Sardar Assef is given the portfolio of Minister for Science &Technology.

Health Minister Makhddom Shahbuddin is given the charges of defence production.

Secretary Religious Affairs Agha Sarwar Qizalbash has also been replaced by Secretary for overseas Pakistanis Saeed Khan. Qizalabsh has been ordered to report back to the Establishment Division. Hamid Saeed Kazimi and Azam Swati were entangled in a court battle and stand off over corruption charges in Hajj operation.It should be mentioned here that Federal Minister for Science and Technology Azam Khan Swati leveled allegations regarding serious corruption against Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi in alleged corruption in hajj arrangements.

It is pertinent to mention here that there are no allegations of corruption against Azam Swati; however, he was sacked from his ministry for overlooking the directives from the Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, who directed the two to avoid giving statemnets.

Hajj corruption: Swati submits evidence against Kazmi in SC

Federal Minister for Science & Technology Azam Khan Swati has submitted his written reply and the evidence vis-a-vis the Hajj corruption scandal in the apex court, trendpk.Com reported on Monday.

A 7-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry began hearing of a suo moto notice of alleged corruption in the Hajj arrangements by the religious ministry.

Senator Latif Khosa, the counsel of Hamid Saeed Kazmi, objected over Azam Swati saying as a cabinet minister he is a party in the corruption and demanded his resignation. Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry wondered that the accused (Hamid Kazmi) is not offering his resignation while the one who is assisting the court is being asked to tender resignation. Justice Javed Iqbal maintained that no minister can commit such a huge corruption sans any back. Justice Ramday said that the ministry should have returned 1,000 Riyals besides other compensations. He said that the accused would be penalized.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister Azam Swati while talking to mediapersons, said that the accused would be penalized by the court.

God willing they would get befitting penalty; Allahs ire would befall these people (accused), the minister maintained. He said that he abide by the court orders and submitted his comprehensive reply in the court in black and white.

SC Dissatisfied on Hajj Corruption Probe

ISLAMABAD, News Trends: Supreme Court Thursday expressed dissatisfaction over the FIA probe into Hajj corruption case.

Director General FIA Waseem Ahmed informed the court that an inspector was inquiring into Hajj corruption and Rs 230 million irregularities have been unearthed.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry asked why an inspector entrusted to inquire into such a crucial case.

Former director general Hajj Rao Shakeel informed the court that the residences for Hajj pilgrims were hired upto April 2010 and denied any corrupt practice during the process.

Chief Justice said the corruption allegations are substantial; who did the corruption if the minister and the secretary are innocent?

Federal Minister of Science and Technoloy Azam Swati informed the court that he will produce detailed evidence about corruption before the court on Monday.

The court later adjourned hearing till December 13.

Swati seeks Kazmi’s removal as Religious Minister

Staff Report

MANSEHRA: Federal Minister for Science and Technology Azam Khan Swati has called for immediate removal of Hamid Saeed Kazmi as Federal Religious Minister over alleged Haj corruption.

He was speaking to journalists after attending an oath-taking ceremony at Private Education Institute of Management Association in Mansehra on Sunday.

He said that thousands of pilgrims had to face difficulties during Haji pilgrimage due to mismanagement of Federal Religious Minister. Trend Pk

SPLA plans to take out anti-govt protest rally

Staff Report

KARACHI: The Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association (SPLA) will take out a protest rally on Wednesday against the government’s failure to meet its demands.

The rally will be held at 2:30pm after General Body’s meeting.

Addressing a press conference at DG Science College here on Wednesday, the SPLA said that it would hold a march on the Chief Minister House regarding new appointments in colleges and non-restoration of time scale by the Education Department.

SPLA chief Athar Mirza said that he was facing opposition from senior police officials regarding plans to stage a rally.

He further deplored the insulting behavior being adopted by Secretary and Special Secretary of Education Department against the SPLA. Trend Pk

Carbon negative rocket fuel could bring Mars within range

A British rocket scientist has developed a fuel made from carbon dioxide that could make a future manned-mission to Mars viable. The fuel burns aluminium powder in carbon dioxide, using the oxygen and leaving carbon as the waste product.
Ray Wilkinson teaches rocket propulsion at the University of Hertfordshire in England and he’s about to teach the space industry how to fuel future missions to Mars with a greenhouse gas.Ray Wilkinson said, So what we’re looking at is that if we can burn something with carbon dioxide then that allows us to turn the carbon dioxide back into carbon and take energy out of it in the process and that is where the carbon negative bit comes from.
This is a hybrid rocket motor – burning solid fuel with the help of gas – normally nitrous oxide. What Wilkinson has developed is a way of using CO2 instead.Ray said, It does seem too good to be true but the science is there. It works. We can burn it with aluminium powder and we can produce carbon from it, we can remove the oxygen from the carbon dioxide and turn the carbon back into carbon.
Burning carbon dioxide with aluminium powder works fine in the laboratory but the powder has to be in suspension – not so easy during a rocket launch. So, while the chemistry is not new — the technique is. The atmosphere of Mars is 95% CO2 – so a visiting space ship could refuel for the return trip.
A manned mission to Mars is generally regarded as the next big step in space exploration…a huge challenge that Ray Wilkinson says might now be one step closer to reality.

Gilani reshuffles bureaucrats

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday made large scale appointments and transfers in bureaucracy.

Under the massive reshuffle, K.B. Rind has been made Secretary of Social Welfare. Athar Tahir has been appointed Secretary Education and Asif Bajwa will serve as Secretary Statistics.

Similarly, Saeed Ahmed Khan and Wajid Rana have been posted as Secretary Overseas Pakistanis and Secretary Finance respectively.

Irfan Nadeem has been transferred to the Science and Technology Ministry as Federal Secretary. Javed Iqbal has been made Secretary Water and Power.

Shahid Raja has been made Secretary at the Ministry of Railways. Ghulam Dastgir will be new Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Arif Azeem has been appointed as Incharge Manpower. Captain Tahir Shafi has become new Additional Secretary at

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