Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

ESA to Give New Life to Old Satellites

Posted by chrisd on from the space-is-still-pretty-cool dept.

JPNews writes "The European Space Agency is designing a program (www.esa.int) to re-configure dying television transmission satellites to be used as a XM Radio-like satellite radio network. 'Once in position, 35,000 km away in space, TV satellites will remain in orbit forever, but their useful life amounts to 15 years or less... further life can be squeezed from a low-propellant TV satellite switched over to mobile digital radio broadcasting where precision position control is less important.'"

1 of 119 comments (clear)

  1. Precisely the kind of ideas aerospace needs now... by coupland · · Score: 4, Insightful

    With NASA giving the one-fingered salute to the unfairly maligned "faster-better-cheaper" programme it's nice to see the ESA taking a more pragmatic approach to things. I have a great deal of respect for NASA but I also want to see Europe, China, India and others up the ante, and this seems like a perfect example.