Bill Housley
Space Exploration, Science, Opinion and Current Events
Into the Dark:Escape of the Nomad — Kindle Edition
In a world hostile to space travel, a former Astronaut has a dream to travel the stars--so he steal's NASA's forbidden starship designs and starts building the ship himself, only to get caught up in a perilous game of interstellar cloak-and-dagger between two alien superpowers fighting over Earth.
One Way
So you want to go to Mars? One Way? Are you sure?
Another Man’s Terrorist — Kindle Edition
In a war far into the future, two young refugees, orphaned by insurgent violence on their home planet, flee behind the lines to make a new life for themselves. But when the turmoil they sought to escape beats them to their new home, thirteen year old Jessica Ratcliff must find peace for her small family while learning the true difference between friend and enemy.
Where’s the Cat? — Kindle Edition
On a long cargo flight to the outer solar system, Pauline gets a visitor she didn't expect and learns of a marvelous friend she never knew she had.
Into the Dark–Escape of the Nomad — Original Paperback
In a world where space travel is forbidden, former astronaut Stan McPherson wants to return to space but finds himself caught up in a dangerous game of interstellar cloak-and-dagger.
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Space.com Top Stories
- SpaceX readies new Starship prototype for testing (video) April 1, 2020SpaceX is about to start putting the latest prototype of its Starship Mars-colonizing vehicle to the test.
- Locust swarms are invading Africa. Here's how NASA satellites can help stop them. April 1, 2020Billions of locusts have been swarming in eastern Africa for months, ravaging crops and threatening the food source for millions of people. NASA satellites are coming to the rescue.
- Watch NASA's James Webb Space Telescope unfold its golden mirror for the 1st time (video) April 1, 2020NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has fully deployed its primary mirror for the first time, marking another milestone on its journey to space.
- NASA's next robotic moon landings in 2021 still on track despite coronavirus pandemic April 1, 2020NASA's first two commercial deliveries to the moon are still on track despite the COVID-19 pandemic, according to agency leadership.
- 2020 Full Moon Calendar April 1, 2020The full moon happens once a month. Find out when.
- Pictures from space! Our image of the day April 1, 2020NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has successfully deployed its giant primary mirror, putting the new observatory one big step closer to being ready for launch in 2021.
- On This Day in Space: April 1, 1960: NASA launches TIROS-1, first US Weather satellite April 1, 2020On April 1, 1960, the U.S. launched its first weather satellite into orbit. See how it happened in our On This Day in Space video series!
- The brightest planets in April's night sky: How to see them (and when) April 1, 2020Here's how to see planets visible in April's night sky.
- NASA's Mars rover Perseverance rover has a hidden message for the Red Planet April 1, 2020It won't be the first hidden message that NASA sends to Mars.
- US military may start moving towards launching fleets of tiny satellites April 1, 2020With much of the commercial space industry focused on putting small satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO), how quickly will the U.S. military follow?
- For NASA's next sun mission, 6 tiny spacecraft will work as one massive telescope April 1, 2020Want to build the largest radio telescope to fly in space to date? Here's an easier technique: Design six tiny satellites to fly in formation and work together.
- Celestron Astro Fi 130 telescope: Full review April 1, 2020Celestron's Astro Fi 130 combines good optics with the latest in telescope technology — but is it the right telescope for you?
- Best night sky events of April 2020 (stargazing maps) April 1, 2020See what's up in the night sky for April 2020, including stargazing events and the moon's phases, in this Space.com gallery courtesy of Starry Night Software.
- Night sky, April 2020: What you can see this month [maps] April 1, 2020Find out what's up in your night sky during April 2020 and how to see it in this Space.com stargazing guide.
- Star clusters betray Milky Way's cannibalistic past April 1, 2020A recent study went full Indiana Jones to show that our home galaxy, the Milky Way, was a cannibal in its earlier years, swallowing five smaller galaxies.
- SpaceX unveils users' guide for giant Starship rocket March 31, 2020SpaceX just released a users' guide for Starship, the reusable spaceship-rocket combo the company is developing to help colonize Mars.
- Apollo 13: The moon-mission that dodged disaster March 31, 2020The Apollo 13 mission was an example of NASA's ingenuity under pressure.
- Cosmos: Possible Worlds' brings the search for E.T. down to Earth March 31, 2020In "Cosmos: Possible Worlds," host Neil deGrasse Tyson explores themes of science as an instrument of hope and tenacity, and as a means by which the human race can realize its true potential.
- Coronavirus has changed society. See how in this video of before-and-after satellite views March 31, 2020The coronavirus pandemic continues around the world, satellites in space are revealing a radical shift in human behavior.
- Virgin Orbit designs new ventilator as part of Virgin Group's efforts to combat coronavirus March 31, 2020The small-satellite launch company Virgin Orbit has developed a new ventilator meant to be mass-producible to help support teams taking care of patients affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
NASAWatch
- NASA Is Going To Need A New CIO April 1, 2020NASA CIO Renee Wynn Set to Retire "NASA Chief Information Officer Renee Wynn is retiring on April 30, 2020, after 30 years in Federal service. She is one of the longest-serving departmental CIOs at NASA and in the Federal Government. Before coming to NASA, Wynn spent 25 years at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), where she served in several exec […]
- Bring Your Ideas to NASA@WORK April 1, 2020Message From The NASA Administrator: Help the Nation - Bring Your Ideas to NASA@WORK, NASA "Over the past few weeks, I've heard from employees across the agency who want to help the nation through this unprecedented time. These comments exemplify the prevailing, can-do spirit of NASA people and our willingness to take on any challenge. As the natio […]
- 12,000 People Applied To Become A NASA Astronaut April 1, 2020More Than 12,000 People Apply to Join NASA's Artemis Generation, #BeAnAstronaut, NASA "More than 12,000 people have applied to join NASA's next class of astronauts, demonstrating strong national interest to take part in America's plans to explore the Moon and take humanity's next giant leap - human missions to Mars. Applications were […]
- The SpaceX Starship Users Guide Is Now Online April 1, 2020SpaceX Starship Users Guide Revision 1.0 March 2020 "SpaceX's Starship system represents a fully reusable transportation system designed to service Earth orbit needs as well as missions to the Moon and Mars. This two-stage vehicle--composed of the Super Heavy rocket (booster) and Starship (spacecraft) as shown in Figure 1--is powered by sub-cooled […]
- NASAWatch Is 24 April 1, 2020Keith's note: NASAWatch turns 24 on 1 Apr 2020. It started as "NASA RIFWatch" on 1 Apr 1996 and was first hosted on a Mac Classic II on an ISDN line in my little condo in Reston, Virginia (see 20 Years Ago Today: The Seeds of NASAWatch). Here a few things from those early days that are still online: - Rogue Webmasters, Government Executive, 1 […]
- SMD COVID-19 Epidemic FAQ March 31, 2020NASA SMD: Frequently Asked Questions about Grants and Research during the COVID-19 Epidemic "If you have questions about conducting your research or managing your grants during the COVID-19 epidemic, NASA SMD has prepared a Question and Answer document. The document outlines SMD's implementation of recent guidance from the Office of Management and […]
- The Lockheed Martin Family Quietly Steps Up To Help March 31, 2020Keith's note: I got this note from a Lockheed Martin employee last night: "Keith: I have been an avid reader of NASAWatch since the 1990's (RIFwatch times) and I saw the post on Lockheed Martin's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a large Lockheed Martin team working last week and this past weekend with local hospitals in Denver […]
- JPL Forms New Planetary Science Directorate March 31, 2020NASA JPL Internal Email: Creating the Future of Planetary Science, NASA JPL "Today, the Mars Exploration Directorate and the Solar System Exploration Directorate are integrating to form the new Planetary Science Directorate (4X). This new organization comes at a critical time as the nature of NASA's planetary science efforts continues to expand and […]
- Just What Everyone Needs Right Now - Thanks Neil Tyson - Not March 31, 2020Keith's note: I also tweeted this response: "Thanks for the cosmic buzzkill. Just what everyone needs right now - purposeful negativity by you when we all should be trying to pull together and look beyond - and above - today's bad times to a hopeful future that lies ahead." That said, Elon had a better response - one that he can back up w […]
- Rethinking What It Means To Be A Truly Global Species March 30, 2020Updating the Pioneer 10 and 11 plaques for 2020. #SETI #Astrobiology #COVID19 #Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/SzO1EmDdkS— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) March 30, 2020
LiveScience.com – Top Stories
- West Virginia: Latest updates on Coronavirus March 17, 2020West Virginia has its first confirmed case of coronavirus.Kimberly Hickok
- New York: Latest updates on Coronavirus March 17, 2020Here's a look at the number of coronavirus cases in New York and the latest news about the COVID-19 outbreak.Jeanna Bryner
- Arizona: Latest updates on coronavirus March 17, 2020Arizona has reported 20 positive cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday (March 17).Rachael Rettner
- Tennessee: Latest updates on coronavirus March 17, 2020Here's a look at the number of coronavirus cases in Tennessee and the latest news on the COVID-19 outbreak.Tia Ghose
- Coronavirus outbreak: Live updates March 17, 2020Live Science will keep you up to date on all coronavirus news, including how far it has spread, city and local closings and the science behind the virus and the disease it causes, COVID-19.Yasemin Saplakoglu
- Ohio: Latest updates on coronavirus March 17, 2020Here's a look at the number of coronavirus cases in Ohio and the latest news about the COVID-19 outbreak.Jeanna Bryner
- Mississippi: Latest updates on Coronavirus March 17, 2020Here is the COVID-19 situation in Mississippi.Kimberly Hickok
- Arkansas: Latest updates on coronavirus March 17, 2020Arkansas has reported 22 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday (March 17).Rachael Rettner
- Indiana: Latest updates on Coronavirus March 17, 2020Here's a look at the number of coronavirus cases in Indiana and the latest news about the COVID-19 outbreak.Nicoletta Lanese
- Utah: Latest updates on coronavirus March 17, 2020Here's a look at the number of coronavirus cases in Utah and the latest news about the COVID-19 outbreak.Tia Ghose
- Colorado: Latest updates on coronavirus March 17, 2020More than 130 people in the state have been diagnosed with COVID-19, and one has died.Rachael Rettner
- Georgia: Latest updates on Coronavirus March 17, 2020Georgia has 146 confirmed cases of COVID-19Yasemin Saplakoglu
- Massachusetts: Latest updates on coronavirus March 17, 2020Here is the COVID-19 situation in Massachusetts.Laura Geggel
- Alaska: Latest updates on coronavirus March 17, 2020Alaska has three confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Monday (March 16).Rachael Rettner
- Alabama: Latest updates on coronavirus March 17, 2020The case count in Alabama jumped to 36 on Tuesday (March 17).Rachael Rettner
- Louisiana: Latest updates on Coronavirus March 17, 2020Here's a look at the number of coronavirus cases in Louisiana and the latest news about the COVID-19 outbreak.Nicoletta Lanese
- California: Latest updates on coronavirus March 17, 2020California has reported 472 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 11 deaths as of Monday evening (March 16).Rachael Rettner
- COVID-19 spread is fueled by 'stealth transmission' March 17, 2020Cases of COVID-19 that fly under the radar — without being diagnosed — appear to fuel the rapid spread of the disease.Rachael Rettner
- Michigan: Latest updates on Coronavirus March 17, 2020Here's a look at the latest on the coronavirus in Michigan.Kimberly Hickok
- Idaho: Latest updates on Coronavirus March 17, 2020Here's a look at the number of coronavirus cases in Idaho and the latest news about the COVID-19 outbreak.Steve Spaleta
Discovery Space News
- Huge Tsunamis May Have Ravaged Ancient Mars May 25, 2016When Mars was a wet world, did its oceans experience powerful tsunamis spawned by meteorite impacts?
- Collapsing Cosmic Clouds Birth Black Hole Monsters May 24, 2016Supermassive black holes occupy all known galaxies, but astronomers have little idea how they formed. Now space telescopes have found a clue.
- Mystery Plumes: Did the Sun Bruise Mars? May 24, 2016Strange plumes have been spotted high in the Martian atmosphere that have, so far, defied explanation. Now scientists think space weather is to blame.
- NASA Probe Tracks Object in Solar System's Badlands May 23, 2016While coasting through the outer solar system, NASA's New Horizons is busying itself with astronomical observations of a distant Kuiper Belt Object.
- Solar Superflares Set Stage for Life on Earth May 23, 2016Earth could have grown warm enough for liquid water as far back as 4 billion years ago thanks to massive and frequent solar flares.
- See the Red Planet with Your Own Eyes This Weekend May 21, 2016Mars reaches opposition this weekend, making Saturday and Sunday (May 21 and 22) an opportune time to see the Red Planet with your own eyes.
- Extreme Exoplanets Reveal Migration Mystery May 20, 2016A star hosting 4 massive gas giant exoplanets has been spotted -- is this how our solar system looked in its ancient past?
- How to Form Io's Mountains? Just Squeeze! May 20, 2016On Earth, mountains form along tectonic boundaries, but Io, Jupiter's volcanic moon, is awash with molten rock and dotted with solitary mountains -- how did they form?
- DNews: Meet a Black Hole 17 Billion Times the Sun's Mass May 20, 2016DNews sits down with U.C. Berkeley astronomy professor Chung-Pei Ma to learn all about supermassive black holes, including one nearby that's just honking huge.
- LHC Opens the Quantum Physics Floodgates May 20, 2016As it restarts its mission to discover weird and exotic things about our universe, the Large Hadron Collider is about to become a firehose of quantum data.
SpaceRef
- The Northeast Coast Of Somalia Seen From Orbit April 1, 2020The northeast coast of Somalia is pictured as the International Space Station orbited above the Gulf of Aden.Keith Cowing
- James Webb Space Telescope Full Mirror Deployment a Success April 1, 2020As Webb progresses towards liftoff in 2021, technicians and engineers have been diligently checking off a long list of final tests the observatory will undergo before being packaged for delivery to French Guiana for launch.Keith Cowing
- NASA, University of Nebraska Release New Global Groundwater Maps and U.S. Drought Forecasts April 1, 2020NASA researchers have developed new satellite-based, weekly global maps of soil moisture and groundwater wetness conditions and one- to three-month U.S. forecasts of each product.Keith Cowing
- Hubble Finds Best Evidence for Elusive Mid-Sized Black Hole April 1, 2020Astronomers have found the best evidence for the perpetrator of a cosmic homicide: a black hole of an elusive class known as "intermediate-mass," which betrayed its existence by tearing apart a wayward star that passed too close.Keith Cowing
- Moscow As Seen From Space March 31, 2020Moscow, Russia is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 263 miles above eastern Europe.Keith Cowing
- 10.9 Million Names Aboard Perseverance Mars Rover March 31, 2020A placard commemorating NASA's "Send Your Name to Mars" campaign was installed on the Perseverance Mars rover on March 16, 2020, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.Keith Cowing
- Lake Rukwa In Tanzania Seen From Orbit March 30, 2020Lake Rukwa in Tanzania is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited above the Africa continent.Keith Cowing
- Artemis 1 Orion Spacecraft Arrives In Florida March 30, 2020The Orion spacecraft, secured atop a transporter in its shipping container, arrives at the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 25, 2020, for final testing and assembly.Keith Cowing
- Astrophotonics: Astronomy and Modern Optics March 30, 2020Much of the progress in Astronomy has been driven by instrumental developments, from the first telescopes to fiber fed spectrographs.Keith Cowing
- ALMA Resolves Gas Impacted By Young Jets From Supermassive Black Hole March 30, 2020Astronomers obtained the first resolved image of disturbed gaseous clouds in a galaxy 11 billion light-years away by using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA).Keith Cowing
Space Flight Now
- Swarm of NASA nanosats to probe source of solar eruptions April 1, 2020NASA has selected a mission to dispatch six CubeSats, each the size of a toaster oven, to an orbit more than 20,000 miles from Earth to study massive particle ejections from the sun.Stephen Clark
- NASA, JAXA assign two more astronauts to second piloted Crew Dragon flight March 31, 2020Veteran astronauts Soichi Noguchi and Shannon Walker have been assigned to fly to the International Space Station on SpaceX's second piloted Crew Dragon mission later this year, joining commander Mike Hopkins and astronaut Victor Glover on a planned six-month expedition in orbit.Stephen Clark
- Photos: Atlas 5 soars into clear skies over Cape Canaveral March 31, 2020Propelled by five strap-on solid rocket boosters and a Russian-made kerosene-fueled RD-180 main engine, a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on March 26 with the U.S. military's sixth AEHF communications satellite.Stephen Clark
- Lean team readies ESA’s Mercury-bound BepiColombo for planetary flyby March 30, 2020One job deemed essential by the European Space Agency coronavirus pandemic involves shepherding the BepiColombo spacecraft through a high-speed flyby of planet Earth next month, an immovable event on the $1.8 billion mission's seven-year journey to Mercury.Stephen Clark
- Back in Florida, Orion capsule nears readiness for Artemis test flight March 30, 2020The Orion spacecraft slated to fly around the moon on an unpiloted mission next year has arrived back at the Kennedy Space Center following an environmental test campaign in Ohio, ready for a series of final checkouts before officials pause launch preparations this summer to await readiness of NASA's Space Launch System.Stephen Clark
- OneWeb files for bankruptcy March 30, 2020OneWeb -- three launches into a series of nearly 20 missions to deploy 650 satellites to provide global Internet service -- has announced it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and reduced its workforce after unsuccessful negotiations for more cash from its largest investor.Stephen Clark
- NASA picks SpaceX to deliver cargo to Gateway station in lunar orbit March 27, 2020NASA has selected SpaceX to deliver supplies to the planned Gateway mini-space station in lunar orbit using a new version of the Dragon cargo vehicle launched atop Falcon Heavy rockets.Stephen Clark
- Atlas 5 launch caps deployment of ultra-secure military communications network March 26, 2020The sixth and final satellite in the U.S. military's most secure satellite communications fleet lifted off from Cape Canaveral Thursday aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, extending the network's expected lifetime beyond 2030.Stephen Clark
- Citing coronavirus concerns, Rocket Lab pauses launch operations March 26, 2020Rocket Lab says it has paused launch operations after the government of New Zealand this week ordered most businesses closed and urged people to stay at home in an effort to combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.Stephen Clark
- Atlas 5 launch timeline for the AEHF 6 mission March 26, 2020A United Launch Atlas 5 rocket is set to launch the U.S. Air Force's sixth and final Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite from Cape Canaveral. This timeline shows the major mission events planned over a nearly six-hour flight to an optimized geostationary transfer orbit.Stephen Clark
SpaceRef — Mars News
- 10.9 Million Names Aboard Perseverance Mars Rover March 31, 2020A placard commemorating NASA's "Send Your Name to Mars" campaign was installed on the Perseverance Mars rover on March 16, 2020, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
- Preflight Testing Of The Mars Helicopter March 18, 2020Functional testing of NASA's Mars Helicopter and its cruise stage occurred in the airlock inside Kennedy Space Center's Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility on March 10, 2020.
- ExoMars Rover Launch Delayed Until 2022 March 13, 2020The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Roscosmos Space Corporation have decided to postpone the launch of the second ExoMars mission to study the Red Planet to 2022.
- Curiosity Reaches New Heights On Mars March 9, 2020Sols 2696-2698: Made it!: Kudos to our rover drivers for making it up the steep, sandy slope below the "Greenheugh pediment" (visible in the left side of the above image) and delivering us to a stretch of geology we had our eyes on even before we landed in Gale crater!
- The Dark Dunes Of Mars: Moreux Crater March 6, 2020Known for its wide swathes of rippling, textured, gently sloping dunes, the Terra Sabaea region on Mars is home to many fascinating geological features - including the prominent Moreux crater, the star of a new image from ESA's Mars Express.
- Virginia Middle School Student Names NASA's Next Mars Rover March 5, 2020NASA's next Mars rover has a new name -- Perseverance.
- Mars Curiosity Rover Snaps Its Highest-Resolution Panorama Yet March 5, 2020NASA's Curiosity rover has captured its highest-resolution panorama yet of the Martian surface.
- A Year of Surprising Science From NASA's InSight Mars Mission February 26, 2020A new understanding of Mars is beginning to emerge, thanks to the first year of NASA's InSight lander mission. Findings described in a set of six papers published today reveal a planet alive with quakes, dust devils and strange magnetic pulses.
- Magnetic Field At Martian Surface Ten Times Stronger Than Expected February 25, 2020New data gleaned from the magnetic sensor aboard NASA's InSight spacecraft is offering an unprecedented close-up of magnetic fields on Mars
- First Direct Seismic Measurements Of Mars Reveal A Geologically Active Planet February 25, 2020The first reports of seismic activity and ground vibrations on Mars are in. The red planet has a moderate level of seismic activity, intermediate between Earth and the Moon.
SpaceX
- Starlink Mission March 18, 2020
- CRS-20 Mission March 7, 2020
- Crew Dragon’s First Demonstration Mission | One-Year Launch Anniversary March 2, 2020
- Starlink Mission February 17, 2020
- Starlink Mission January 29, 2020
- Crew Dragon Launch Escape Demonstration January 19, 2020
- Starlink Mission January 7, 2020
- Crew Dragon Animation December 30, 2019
- JCSAT-18/Kacific1 Mission December 17, 2019
- CRS-19 Mission December 5, 2019
Spacewire
- NASA CIO Renee Wynn Set to Retire
- NASA Taps Workforce for Innovative Ideas for Coronavirus Response Efforts
- Message From The NASA Administrator: Help the Nation - Bring Your Ideas to NASA@WORK
- Professor Reimar Lüst, has passed away, aged 97
- SpaceX Starship Users Guide
- More Than 12,000 People Apply to Join NASA’s Artemis Generation, #BeAnAstronaut
- Space Foundation Announces New Auxilia Webinar Series to Support Teachers, Parents, and Students
- Space Force identifies USAF missions for transfer to newest service
- Joint USAF/NOAA Solar Geophysical Activity Report and Forecast 31 March 2020
- Veteran Astronaut Karen Nyberg Retires from NASA
NASA Image of the Day
- Klotho and Lina April 1, 2020Appearing as strings of orange dots, the brightest sets of dots belong to asteroids Klotho and Lina. Both orbit out in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
- Be An Astronaut March 31, 2020In March 2017, Peggy Whitson broke the then-spacewalking record for female astronauts.
- Celebrating NASA's Astronaut-Physicians March 30, 2020Today is National Doctors' Day!
- Hubble Hooks a One-Arm Galaxy March 27, 2020Located about 21 million light-years from our galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici, NGC 4618 has a diameter of about one-third that of our Milky Way. Together with its neighbor, NGC 4625, it forms an interacting galaxy pair, which means that the two galaxies are close enough to influence each other gravitationally.
- Denman Glacier in East Antarctica March 26, 2020This photograph shows ripples in the surface of Denman Glacier in East Antarctica that throw shadows against the ice.
- Tracking Methane Sources and Movement Around the Globe March 25, 2020NASA’s new three-dimensional portrait of methane concentrations shows the world’s second largest contributor to greenhouse warming.
- Astronaut Christina Koch Services a 3-D Biological Printer March 24, 2020Christina Koch handles media bags that enable the manufacturing of organ-like tissues using the BioFabrication Facility (BFF), a 3-D biological printer on the International Space Station.
Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Asteroid or Potato Asteroid or Potato
- The Galactic Center from Radio to X ray In how many ways does the center of our Galaxy glow?
- The Colors of Saturn from Cassini What creates Saturn's colors?
- A 212 Hour Exposure of Orion The constellation of Orion is much more than three stars in a row.
- Stars Trail over RagusaIn trying times, stars still
- A Little Drop of GalaxyA Little Drop of Galaxy
- Andromeda StationThis surreal picture isn't from a special effects sci-fi movie.
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