Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

U.S. Withholding Satellite Data

Posted by timothy on from the derives-from-a-mandate-from-the-masses dept.

plover writes "Because of Congressional legislation passed quietly in 2003, the Air Force Space Command will no longer distribute space surveillance data via NASA. There was supposed a three year transitional period where the data was to be made available via a NASA web site, but earlier this month their transitional server went down hard, and NASA has decided to not rebuild it. (It was scheduled to be shut down on 31 March 2005 anyway.) The only way to obtain satellite data now is by signing up with the official Space-Track website. Part of the agreement to obtaining data from their site is that you agree to not redistribute their data. Of course, amateurs are still free to redistribute their observations, including those of classified satellites."

8 of 274 comments (clear)

  1. I am sure the bug is fixed in next version by luvirini · · Score: 3, Funny
    Of course, amateurs are still free to redistribute their observations, including those of classified satellites.

    I mean this should clearly be made illegal, I mean publishing information of existance of something secret. I am sure that the next version of the bill will correct this bug.

  2. Re:Homeland Security? by CPgrower · · Score: 3, Funny

    Bush didn't want any satellite photos of him smoking a joint.

  3. Re: How did server go down? by Black+Parrot · · Score: 3, Funny


    > They neglected to say how the origional server went down "hard". Did someone hack it?

    Wikipedia was hosting it...

    --
    Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
  4. Re:keplerian elements by cl191 · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Does anybody read the article?" No, of course not, you think people read Playboy for the articles too?

  5. Re:Homeland Security? by PartyBoy!911 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Vaderland security! They don't want you to notice the Death Star..

  6. Re:Homeland Security? by blowdart · · Score: 3, Funny
    The sight of the Goa'uld mothership would panic the normal population.

    Oh sorry you said Air Force Space Command?

  7. Re:Quietly passed by Nefarious+Wheel · · Score: 5, Funny
    That is definitely part of the problem. There are simply too many laws with too many things in each law

    There should be three houses of Congress; The Senate, the House of Representatives and the Board of Editors. The third house would be comprised of disenfranchised magazine editors whose sole and entire purpose was to repeal legislation the other two houses dreamed up.

    --
    Do not mock my vision of impractical footwear
  8. Re:Homeland Security? by secretsquirel · · Score: 3, Funny

    or as he used to call them, a freedom joint.