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Radio Telescope Has Military Uses?

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the where-do-you-think-a-lot-of-scientific-research-comes-from dept.

schnippy writes "A joint Mexico-U.S. effort to build a monster radio telescope in Mexico is causing concerns because the project, the Large Millimeter Telescope, is part of a U.S. Defense Department effort to develop the target acquisition and directed-energy technology needed for anti-satellite warfare." From the article: " Supporters said links between science and the military are nothing new and emphasized the telescope being assembled on the 15,000-foot Sierra Negra in the state of Puebla wont be some kind of Star Wars defense outpost."

12 of 186 comments (clear)

  1. The Force! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Surely the USA can just use The Force to disable enemy satellites? I mean this is the Star Wars project after all...

  2. I know what you're all thinking... by Capt'n+Hector · · Score: 4, Funny

    "I am inVINcible!"

    --
    Quid festinatio swallonis est aetherfuga inonusti?
    Africus aut Europaeus?
  3. Darn by antikarma · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...the telescope being assembled on the 15,000-foot Sierra Negra in the state of Puebla wont be some kind of Star Wars defense outpost.
    That's a shame. Puebla does look remarkably similar to Tatooine...

  4. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 3, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  5. Nice opening line... by Chaffar · · Score: 5, Funny
    A joint Mexico-U.S. effort to build a monster telescope atop a dormant volcano...

    Why does this sound to me like a "bad idea"? This would be a great start for a thriller/action movie ...

    [Dramatic Voice]Atop dormant volcano in Mexico... containing an ancient Aztec burial ground... the construction of an American military complex awakens undead souls... Disturbed from their sleep, they thirst for revenge... Only one man... can hope to defeat them...
    1. Re:Nice opening line... by StressedEd · · Score: 3, Funny
      And the question on everyone's lips:


      Tom Cruise or Bruce Willis?

      --
      Be nice to people on the way up. You will meet them again on your way down!
    2. Re:Nice opening line... by n54 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Definitely Bruce Willis but he has to wear really big cokebottle-style nerd glasses with big black frames!

      Oh! And a pocket protector!

      And the movie needs lots of really big sci-fi guns shooting electriciy or plasma and there should be tons of absolutely gorgeous bigboobed ladies! Some of which could be beautiful Astec ghosts...

      *insert huge grin here*

      Seriously who wouldn't pay to watch that? Think "Falling Down" http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0106856/ combined with "Doom" http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0419706/, "Poltergeist" http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0084516/, "Ghost Busters" http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0087332/ and any big boobs porn flick (without the porn).

      Hmm I think I need to listen to Deadbolt now... Deadbolt and Man or Astroman? should obviously both be major contributors to the soundtrack :)

      --
      this comment is provided "as is" and without any express or implied legibility or congruity [...]
  6. Quote by jlebrech · · Score: 4, Funny

    This Battlestation is FULLY operational, mwuhuhahaha

  7. "Large Millimetre Telescope"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    What is a "Large Millimetre Telescope"? A Centimetre Telescope, perhaps?

    1. Re:"Large Millimetre Telescope"? by metamatic · · Score: 2, Funny

      Stuff is larger in South America. Look at the Giant Otter of the Amazon, for example. It's not surprising their millimeters are larger too.

      --
      GCHQ Quantum Insert installed. If only our tongues were made of glass, how much more careful we would be when we speak
  8. Dr Evil's base is nearly complete muhahaha by Jafar00 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yes! Disguised as a radio telescope, Dr Evil's secret base deep inside an extinct volcano is almost complete. Just a few finishing touches including delivery of the tank full of frikkin sharks with frikkin laser beams on their heads and the world will tremble at the foot of Dr Evil! Muhahahahahaha!

    --
    RebateFX.com - Spread rebates for Forex traders
  9. Contact by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    The locals call it EL RADAR; they think it has some dark military purpose.