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Space Technology to Conquer Everest

Roland Piquepaille writes "These days, the European Space Agency (ESA) is busy sharing its space technologies. Last week, in "Space technology hits the slopes," it said that the ski maker Rossignol hopes to beat the world speed skiing record of 250 km/h by using skis stabilized by a mechanism developed for ESA's Rosetta spacecraft. And today, the ESA announced that a satellite-based Health Monitoring Kit developed by the Canadian company March Networks and co-funded by ESA, will help climbers to escalate Everest. Of course, this kind of technology can be applied at lower altitudes. This overview contains other details and references about the March Networks Health Monitoring Kit."

8 of 93 comments (clear)

  1. Well.. by PsilocybeCubensis · · Score: 0, Funny

    I'm not impressed. Have ESA made a pen that can be used in zero gravity yet?

    Thought not.

    1. Re:Well.. by JoScherl · · Score: 2, Funny

      ESA doesn'T need a special pen - they use simple pencils or computers ;-)

    2. Re:Well.. by another_henry · · Score: 4, Funny
      NASA spent millions on a zero-gravity pen.
      In Soviet Russia, they used a pencil.

      Bullshit.

      --
      "Studies have shown that people who eat peanuts live longer than those who do not eat."
  2. What if he crashes? by Number_1_Bigg$ · · Score: 3, Funny

    They may need that health monitoring equipment immediately after he finishes going 250kph on his face...

    Or maybe they won't.

  3. Yodel-a-e-hooo, Arghhh, slide, tumble by malia8888 · · Score: 2, Funny
    From the article: The climb to the almost 9000 metre summit has claimed the lives of about one hundred people. The March Networks technology will transmit blood oxygen levels (SpO2), heart rates, blood pressure and body temperatures of the climbers. The recorded data will be stored on Bluetooth-enabled PDA's and ultimately transmitted via satellite to a Canadian-hosted website

    Some of the other data which might be included is yodeling between 3000 and 6000 metres and the screams of a quick descent at 9000 metres.

    --
    Harpo Tunnel Syndrome--my wrist feels funny.
  4. I swear when I read the title it read: by SB5 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Space Technology to Conquer Everquest.

    I don't play EQ, so I don't know how the association could have been made. I saw the first line and the mention of the ESA and wondered what the hell did they want to do with EQ. Then I reread the headline.

    --
    If what you are reading sounds funny, or sarcastic, lame, or stupid
    it is because it is supposed to be. just laugh
    1. Re:I swear when I read the title it read: by MagPulse · · Score: 2, Funny

      Heh me too. I was thinking, finally the govt is putting my tax dollars to good use :-)

  5. Re:escalate? by meshmar · · Score: 2, Funny

    Think technology ... they are going to put an escalator up the side of Everest so the out-of-shape geeks can make the climb too! ;-)