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Satellite Clusters Go Into Space

Posted by michael on from the synchronized-orbiting dept.

prostoalex writes "This Thursday Payload Systems will launch its first set of volleyball-sized satellites from a launching pad in Kazakhstan. The SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage & Reorient Experiment Satellites) is a joint project between Payload and MIT. The satellites can fly in formation, share information with one another, and help other satellites with refueling and repairs."

4 of 28 comments (clear)

  1. collisions by hawkbug · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Yes, but with more and more crap being thrown into space, you have to wonder about the very real possibility that things will start to run into each other and cause massive problems down the road...

    1. Re:collisions by jarda · · Score: 4, Interesting

      That's why satellite grids are useful. If there's many satellites in the grid, they're much more redundant against collisions, since losing one or two satellites out of twenty shouldn't have that catastrophic consequences.

      Besides, I hope space agencies are alreadz smart enugh at least not to put more debris on low earth orbit intentionally.

      --
      "Two beers or not two beers. That's the question." -- Shakesbeer
  2. Seriously... by StormForge · · Score: 1, Interesting

    What's the point? They talk about far future applications requiring formation flying. Sounds fine, but is formation flying really going to be the big challenge 20 years from now when we put a very-long-baseline replacement for Hubble up? I don't think so. Why research it now anyway? Just sounds like these guys wanted an excuse to goof around with cute little satellites. Am I being too cynical? Seems like there are better things to do with the brains, money and payload space.

  3. What is in a name? by cloudless.net · · Score: 2, Interesting
    "The SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage & Reorient Experiment Satellites)"

    Does anyone else find this name awkward? As if they randomly picked words to make up the acronym. This seems to be the trend and people are trying too hard to be creative.