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Satellite Celebrates 20 Years Working in Orbit

lloydwood writes "The UoSAT-2/UO-11 small satellite was launched into low Earth orbit on 1 March 1984 from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Twenty years later, it's still in orbit and operational -- and we recently found launch footage. To celebrate the twentieth anniversary of starting in orbit, the original video celebrating the UoSAT-2 launch is available (in windows media and mpeg). Thrill to the computers, the clothes, and the haircuts of 1984. SSTL has launched more than twenty satellites since."

6 of 199 comments (clear)

  1. Umm... by leifm · · Score: 5, Funny

    Since when do we celebrate various equipment still working? Guess I better ready for my PS2's upcoming 2 year still working anniversary!

    --

    "Windows Me offers tremendous reliability and stability improvements..." -- Paul Thurott
  2. Slashdotting imminent by capz+loc · · Score: 5, Funny

    With posting a 64-meg MPEG, I think we can be sure that their server won't have nearly the uptime of the satellite.

  3. If it was... by SisyphusShrugged · · Score: 5, Funny

    If it was made twenty years ago, wouldnt it have to be 10,000 times larger than a modern computer and so expensive that only the five richest kings of Europe would own them.

  4. Fashion statement by CaptainCarrot · · Score: 5, Funny
    Thrill to the computers, the clothes, and the haircuts of 1984.

    Although we can be reasonably well-assured that the computers were state-of-the-art at the time, the clothes and haircuts are another matter. Please remember that these are professional geeks we're talking about, and are therefore not exactly cutting edge when it comes to fashion. To all appearances it was closer to 1978 than 1984.

    I know this because I was in college in 1984, and we all looked great, but these guys look like dorks.

    --
    And the brethren went away edified.
  5. 1984 was so long ago by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Duke Nukem: Forever was only 3 years into development.

  6. Re:FIRST POST! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I, too, must post this anonymously.

    I was that Military Man. The project to which you refer was the 'Alan Parsons Project'. We were going to put a jumbo 'laser' on the moon as part of a world domination plan. Didn't work out for some reason, I think a British agent foiled the plan or something.