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Satellite Back From The Dead

Posted by Hemos on from the return-of-the-living-satellite dept.

Papa Legba writes "Just ran across this amazing story about an amateur satellite that has returned from the dead. AMSAT-OSCAR 7 was launched in 1974 for radio hobbyists to use. In 1981 the onboard batteries died and the satellite went silent. Then on June 21st 2002, 20 years later, a hobbyist testing some new equipment made an amazing discovery. AMSAT-OSCAR 7 is live once more, both broadcasting and accepting signals. The theory expounded is that the dead battery short that took the satellite offline has cleared and it is now only running on its solar cells. While this does restrict it to daytime use, it is amazing that it works at all. " This was in the science section before - but worth the front page.

15 of 176 comments (clear)

  1. did anybody check by Jedi+Paramedic · · Score: 5, Funny

    to see if it came back attached to a planet-sized ship like in STTMP?

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    That's my purse! I don't know you! -- Bobby Hill
    1. Re:did anybody check by Psion · · Score: 4, Funny

      Either way, it might be smart to respond to it's signals -- we don't want it clearing away any carbon-based infestations.

  2. Please, wait to signal it. by Mr+Guy · · Score: 5, Funny

    both broadcasting and accepting signals.

    We don't want the first extraterrestrial slashdotting.

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    Never confuse volume with power.
  3. wait a sec by Jucius+Maximus · · Score: 4, Funny
    This story looks suspiciously similar to a certain piece of spam I often see except in this case, the word 'penis' is replaced by 'satellite.'

    And all this time I thought those herbal treatments they advertised were stupid scams!

    1. Re:wait a sec by Profe55or+Booty · · Score: 5, Funny

      "Just ran across this amazing story about an amateur penis that has returned from the dead. AMSAT-OSCAR 7 was launched in 1974 for radio hobbyists to use. In 1981 the onboard batteries died and the penis went silent. Then on June 21st 2002, 20 years later, a hobbyist testing some new equipment made an amazing discovery. AMSAT-OSCAR 7 is live once more, both broadcasting and accepting signals. The theory expounded is that the dead battery short that took the penis offline has cleared and it is now only running on its solar cells. While this does restrict it to daytime use, it is amazing that it works at all. "

      i don't know about you, but my amateur penis doesn't have onboard batteries.

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      sig - .
    2. Re:wait a sec by grytpype · · Score: 3, Funny

      You should upgrade to Penis Pro 2002. Its lithium batteries last 3 hours before a recharge (1 hour in Brazil).

      --

      - Have a picture

    3. Re:wait a sec by tgd · · Score: 4, Funny

      My girlfriends does.

      Oh, wait...

  4. someone must hate the admins over there... by Profe55or+Booty · · Score: 5, Funny

    we just slashdotted them TWICE in 2 days. jesus christ. have some fucking compassion

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    sig - .
  5. Re:Foolish humans. by bsupak · · Score: 3, Funny

    I don't remember seeing 'Alien Mothership' in the chooser :P B

  6. Too bad it's not a Microsoft satellite by multipartmixed · · Score: 4, Funny

    ..if that were the case, turning it off and on every day like that might actually make it work [i]better[/i].

    --

    Do daemons dream of electric sleep()?
  7. Slashdotting a satellite by borgasm · · Score: 5, Funny

    So, a 25+ year old satellite wakes from the dead, drifting out in the cold darkness of space.

    I find it amazing that a hunk of metal orbiting our planet for longer than I have been alive still functions, yet a modern webserver with possibly more advanced components succombs to slashdotting in minutes.

    Solution: Build webservers out of 1974 satellite components. (Although that large gap of 20 years downtime may pose a problem.)

    1. Re:Slashdotting a satellite by MAXOMENOS · · Score: 3, Funny

      It might soon.

      --
      Finding God in a Dog
  8. First contact... by Dirtside · · Score: 5, Funny

    It probably went something like this:

    Radio technician: Sir! We're getting a signal from a satellite that's...
    Commander: That's what, soldier?
    Radio technician: *gulp* Well, sir, there's those stories about ghost satellites... I mean, we always thought they were just, you know, made up...
    Commander: What the hell are you talking about, son? Spit it out!
    Radio technician: I better just play the transmission for you, sir.
    Satellite: BRRAIIINNNSSSS....
    Radio technician: It's... it's a zombie satellite, sir. Undead.
    Commander: (quietly) God help us all. (to technician) Get me the Pentagon!
    Radio technician: Uh... sir... the phone lines are dead! (suddenly the power goes out)
    Commander: Oh. My. God. (satellite bursts out of a closet and eats the commander)

    --
    "Destroy science and religion. Science would re-emerge exactly the same; but not religion." - Penn Jillette, paraphrased
  9. In A.D. 2101 by JudgeDredd · · Score: 5, Funny

    Captain: What happen ?
    Mechanic: Somebody set up us the bomb.
    Operator: We get signal.
    Captain: What !
    Operator: Main screen turn on.
    Captain: It's You !!
    Satellite: How are you gentlemen !!
    Satellite: All your base are belong to us.
    Satellite: You are on the way to destruction.
    Captain: What you say !!
    Satellite: You have no chance to survive make your time.
    Satellite: HA HA HA HA ....
    Captain: Take off every 'zig' !!
    Captain: You know what you doing.
    Captain: Move 'zig'.
    Captain: For great justice.

  10. Advanced math? Trig, calculus, orbital mechanics.. by Alsee · · Score: 5, Funny

    1974... Then on June 21st 2002, 20 years later

    Subtraction.

    -

    --
    - - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.