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Spy Satellites? What Spy Satellites?

Posted by michael on from the no-see-ums dept.

mutantcamel writes: "This story at Yahoo says that the actual orbits of US spy satellites are not the same as the ones that the UN thinks that they are. The errors include a launch of a satellite that was never registered, and only two of the last ten satellites have been correctly registered. The errors are bound to cast doubts on what will really happen with the Son of Star Wars programme." Heh, "errors".

9 of 372 comments (clear)

  1. Was this a error or not? by roxytheman · · Score: 3, Funny

    Well, spy satellites are spottable by amateur astronomers... so we should count on that the rest of the world have calculated their orbits themselves.
    The danger as I see it is the spy satellites crashing into important scientific satellites or even commercial ones like TV satellites. I would be really pissed of if I couldn't watch TV because of the stupid US government! The NSA,FBI and CIA reading my mail I don't care about, but when they start interfering with what TV channels I can watch, I get mad!
    Well, perhaps they do already through sensorship already? Through sensoring sensorship, sensorship can be hold secret.
    The USA think they can do whatever they want - and they can. They got most nukes, even though I bet Russia and China got enough aswell.

    --

    Find nice cocktail recipes @ www.spitzy.net
  2. Re:Losers by The+Limp+Devil · · Score: 2, Funny

    Why is it that political or foreign-relations stories get all the responses with Bush-bashing and America-bashing?

    You're right, we should have that in all the stories!

  3. "star wars eh?" by Vector+Inspector · · Score: 4, Funny

    These aren't the satellites you're looking for. Move along.

    --


    spoo

  4. Spy Satellites uses Pentium I by droyad · · Score: 3, Funny

    The Spy satellites orbits were computed using an array of pentium I's, which were then submitted to the UN. Ofcourse due to the high accuracy required they used Floating Point numbers.....

  5. Re:Hiding spy satellites is hardly evil... by nehril · · Score: 5, Funny
    I can imagine the super-secret Pentagon meeting now:

    Satellite nerd: OK sir, we're ready to register the exact position of this here spy satellite with the UN.

    Colonel Korn: (twirls moustache) That's top secret info. Classify it and "spill coffee" all over the UN paperwork.

    Satellite Nerd: But you realize that any third grader with binoculars will instantly find out? How can we keep the brightest thing in the sky secret?

    Colonel Korn: Hmf. Well, it'll at least be secret from all the second graders, and thats enough for me! Make it so!

  6. Tell erwin (u.f.) to take care of it... by Uzull · · Score: 2, Funny

    Erwin (http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20010812 ) can make a good use of those satellites... :)

  7. Re:American version of history by JatTDB · · Score: 5, Funny

    Geez...I know this is Slashdot and all...but PERL Harbor? What the hell? Come up for air now and then...can't think code all the time.

    --
    "That's Tron. He fights for the Users."
  8. Re:But who will do something? by vacamike · · Score: 3, Funny

    A 'Rouge' nuclear state?! Since rouge is a variant on the color red, are you inferring that the U.S.A. is a secretly disguised Communist country?
    Quick! Inform the presses! America is becoming Communist!

    **You heard it first on /. **

  9. Errors? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Shame on the US! But then again.. if they are all registered they wouldn't be "spy" satellites.. would they?