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Nanosatellite Satellite Inspection
Richard Lancaster writes: "A couple of months ago Slashdot carried a story about the SSTL SNAP-1 spacecraft entitled "Nanosatellite Takes Out The Trash". However, SNAP-1 is a nanosatellite technology demonstrator with a primary mission objective of performing on orbit remote inspection of other spacecraft. We have now carried out our initial remote inspection mission, the results of which are here, and also made an official press release here."
> Of course, part of me wishes they looked more like the repair bots from Babylon-5...
:)
I'll get onto our mechanics guys right away
Richard Lancaster
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd
Nano-Nano
No, seriously.. maybe they'll just call atomic-scale devices "atmospheric drag".
The US has had a 50 cent piece for quite some time. I don't know if they're made anymore, but they are out there. They're certainly not as common or popularly used as the other coins. And never will be, as long as the average soda machine does not accept them.
I remember a long time ago the post offices here tended to like to dispense those for change when getting a book of stamps from the machine. I went to a convenience store afterwards, attempted to buy a drink, and the clerk had to check with her manager to make sure the damn things were "real".
"That's Tron. He fights for the Users."
the cameras are ... each smaller than a 2 pence (50 cent) piece!
Methinks their UK-US Babelfish is broken, unless a 50 cent piece has been introduced recently in the US?
A 2 pence piece is about an inch in diameter, which I guess is just slightly larger than a quarter (I don't have one to hand).
Hmmm, maybe that's not just a fungus on Mir.
All we've done up with is an intelligent slime mold. Maybe the Russian space program is more advanced than we ever realized.
Are we prepared to shoot Mir out of the sky when it's "taken out of service" right into the Pentagon?
^_-
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NetInfo connection failed for server 127.0.0.1/local
No, imagine. Large globs of nano-satellites. When they need to change orbit, they can lengthen themselves out into a cable (also usable for generating power), convert themselves to the tool of choice (adjustable wrench, pliers), split themselves into multiple parts when required in more than one place (one group to hold the parts together, the other to do up the nut), form into parabolic mirror shapes for welding, spread themselves out flat to shield from sunlight or as a solar sail, stand in for broken components on satellites. Very flexible indeed
Rich
I'd be worried about an application like this doing as much, if not more, harm than good.
For one thing, I believe one of the major things that kept the Cold War cold as the space race picked up was that the US and the USSR could each see, to some extent, what the other was doing... If one could've made a move without the other knowing, things could've gotten ugly.
Also, consider the ways in which the public has profited from programs of military application. GPS sattellites which were originally launched to aid the aiming of missiles are now used in cars, on fishing boats, on camping trips, and so on. Sattelite photographs used for geological surveys and mapmaking could easily be used for military logistics. Or, even worse, in the future, when scientists and civilians make their homes in orbit. How does a satellite aimed at 'taking out' other satellites make the distinciton? How do humans make the distinction for the satellites... and where does one draw the line?
Finally, consider this: Even given the low price tag on these satellites, I can think of a few ways in which these 'poorest of countries' that you mention might rather be willing to spend their precious funds. Food and infrastructure for growth would be at the top of my list.
Don't get me wrong... It's an interesting thought. I'm just not sure it's a can of worms that we really want opened up.
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Hold the mold, Klunk.
Good judgment comes from experience.
Experience comes from bad judgment.
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I wonder if the NRO would be upset if someone launched such a nanosat and then wandered over to one of their spysats and started taking video. . .
Of course, for big satellites you can already get some idea of what they look like from the ground, but the nanosat obviously does much, much better.
The U.S. shares much of its recon data with its major allies like the UK, Australia, Germany, etc., so they're not about to do anything to jeopardize that relationship. In fact, systems like Echelon are joint efforts, so they'd be blowing up their own equipment. Besides, as I hear every so often by Statists regarding police searches, "if they're not doing anything wrong, why should they object if we surveille their every move?" (In case it isn't obvious, this is SARCASM (a registered tm of Microsoft)).
"If I have seen further than other men, it is by stepping on their glasses." - Michael Swaine
What I would like to know is whether these satellites could be used to make sure that countries like America are unable to spy on other countries with impunity. Countries could launch dozens of these nanosatellites, and use them as kinetic missiles against spy platforms or other more dubious ventures such as Star Wars satellites.
This way, even the poorest of countries could afford to ensure their security from the prying eyes of expansionist countries intent on prying every secret possible from their so-called allies. I think this would make a valuable contribution to both privacy and democracy, and would be a worthwhile use of $$$.
At the current rate of this technology, I won't have to worry about cholesterol anymore; we'll probably have nanoprobes run through our bloodstream in the future, burning up that plaque in the arteries.
"Ancillary does not mean you get to rule the world." --U.S. Circuit Judge Harry Edwards, speaking to the FCC's lawyer