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'Einstein Probe' Delayed

Posted by timothy on from the dying-with-curiosity dept.

isorox writes "The BBC is reporting that a NASA satellite designed to test frame dragging, predicted by the theory of relativity, has been delayed for 24 hours because mission control couldn't verify the correct software had been loaded. The probe was proposed 35 years ago, but has never had the funding until now. The question remains is what happens if Frame Dragging isn't observed - will the experiment be wrong (in other words there's no point to it), or will we get faster-than-light ships for Christmas?"

7 of 409 comments (clear)

  1. It has already proven one thing... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    After 35 years it has proven the existence of Foot Dragging ;o).

  2. NASA double checking stuff? by ObviousGuy · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    I watched the launch of the Soyuz spacecraft on CNN yesterday. It was an amazing experience to sit there and watch as men were being blasted into space. What was more amazing, though, was the confidence I had that they would make it to the ISS in one piece.

    Americans may have been the first to the moon, but the modern-day Russian space agency is leaps and bounds ahead of NASA when it comes to operational safety. Currently the entire Space Shuttle fleet is grounded and it is unknown when they can launch again. The International space community is completely relying on the Russians to take and bring back astronauts.

    Despite the vaunted NASA space program, they are completely helpless now while the much maligned Russians are doing the heavy lifting.

    --
    I have been pwned because my /. password was too easy to guess.
    1. Re:NASA double checking stuff? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      Nice troll.. how about comparing Russian air show deaths to American air show deaths? Submarine deaths? How about the Russian technology in that Chinese rocket that exploded on lauch, destroying an entire town? Not to mention nuclear safety...

  3. Sample error? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    The question remains is what happens if Frame Dragging isn't observed

    Perhaps they observed some female frames.

  4. Re:verification by OneArmedMan · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Time Circuits ..... On! .. Check ..

    Engine Running .. ! Check..

    Flux Capacitor ... Fluxing ???!!

  5. microsoft's secret plan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    eventually somone is going to develop some technology that alows them to manipulate time.. microsoft's plan is to wait for someone to develop that technology, buy them out, and use it to convince people that Windows Longhorn XT ultra turbo SP(e^x) boots fast than the previous version. Either that or the space ship Heart of Gold will be built, utilizing the Infinite Improbability Engine powered by a cup of tea while the earth is being destroyed by a vogon constructor fleet to make way for a new hyperspace bypass... NASA better get their act straight so we can get to alpha centauri and see those plans! and move the earth before we're all vaporized.

  6. please provide experimental data by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    thx