ISS Releases Baby Sputnik

illumina+us writes "CNN is running an article about the recent space walk taken by the personnel of the International Space Station. On today's walk the two astronauts 'carried out a 1-foot-long, 11-pound satellite called Nanosputnik, designed for experimental maneuvering by ground controllers.'" The article also has some tidbits on the ISS's gyroscope problems and how the thrusters used to compensate have caused problems for spacewalks in the past.

Comments

Sound Idea

[filmmaker]

Each time, Russian thrusters have to take over, potentially exposing the crew to toxic fuel. This time, flight controllers were careful not to fire the thrusters until the spacewalkers were at a safe distance.

That's probably a sound idea. Definitely pin that up next to "Use either Metric or Imperial units consistently throughout."

Re:Sound Idea

[lxs]

If only the crew could wear some kind of air tight suits during the spacewalk, then it wouldn't be a problem.

Re:Sound Idea

[igny]

'carried out a 1- foot-long, 1-pound satellite called Nano-sputnik,

"Use either Metric or Imperial units consistently throughout."

I think, lack of consistency is evident.

Re:Sound Idea

[crawling_chaos]

To be perfectly pedantic, there are no metric units used anywhere in that phrase. Unless there's a new SI unit for satellite size called the Sputnik that I am unaware of, of course.

Re:Sound Idea

[Cpt_Kirks]

See, that's why I make my kids take their muddy shoes off OUTSIDE...

Awe. Its so cute.

[Anonymous Coward]

Have you started a college savings program for it yet

Nanosputnik

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm offended. Clearly, the Visputnik is superior!

Re:Nanosputnik

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

Actually the Emacsputnik is a lot better, but they couldn't even lift it off the ground...

Toxic ??

[Sperryfreak01]

Exposing the crew to toxic fuel I thought they were in space suits, they only thing toxic they should be exposed to is if one of them had the three bean salad for dinner

Re:Toxic ??

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

Russian Rocket fuel is nasty stuff that you don't want to be breathing in or touching.

I feel the same way with their ubiquitous cabbage soup...

Re:Toxic ??

[JaredOfEuropa]

I feel the same way with their ubiquitous cabbage soup...

You obviously haven't had any proper cabbage soup (borscht); it can be very tasty. Also keep in mind the old Russian saying: "the more you beat the wife, the better the soup will taste".

...like in the movies

[lxt]

"Everything is like in the movies, and it's hard to believe.", Sharipov said... ...you mean, everything was faked then? :)

1 ft, 11 pound?

[Eunuch]

That sounds like something to be proud of!

See?

[PornMaster]

No wonder we don't switch to metric!

Even the people who use it don't know how to use it.

Actually, it pisses me off that people who use metric will say 5000 kilometers instead of 5 megameters... effectively changing the base unit to suit their scale.

Units

[Anonymous Coward]

1 Foot = 1 Nanodecamile

Re:This

[Nine Tenths of The W]

In federated Commonwealth of Independent States Baby Sputnik launches YOU!

Conversation

[Chemisor]

Astronaut 1: Oops. I think I just dropped our navigation module.
Houston: No problem. We'll just call it "nanosputnik" and everyone will think you did it because we told you to.

Navigation issue

[ADRenalyn]

I hope they aren't using Dual Shock controllers to remote pilot that thing.

how small is it?

[zixor]

Nanosputnik?? Does that mean its somewhere between microsputnik and picosputnik?