Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Satellites To Try Formation Flying on ISS

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the fly-straight-fly-well dept.

SoySauc writes "From a story on the New Scientist site: 'A soccer-ball-sized satellite will soon be floating aboard the International Space Station. Once joined by two others, it will help researchers test formation flying and autonomous rendezvous and docking maneuvers for future orbiting satellites.' NASA's DART mission was designed to do the same thing, but in 2005 shut itself down and bumped into the satellite it was only meant to approach."

8 of 42 comments (clear)

  1. Satellites and soccer... by Ze+Emperor · · Score: 1, Funny
    ... should never be mentioned together without also mentioning marine mammals.

    Btw, around here, soccer balls are known as mini death stars...

  2. HAHAHA! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    NASA's DART mission was designed to do the same thing, but in 2005 shut itself down and bumped into the satellite it was only meant to approach.

    HAHAHA Euro-fa... oh, uh. Right. NASA.

  3. Other uses? by MichaelSmith · · Score: 5, Funny

    By the look of it you could also use it for lightsabre practice. Indoors, at least.

    --
    http://michaelsmith.id.au
  4. The Real Purpose... by Gerzel · · Score: 5, Funny

    I wonder what else you could do with formation flying satalites?

    Oooh put a bunch of high power leds or lasers on those suckers and you could use them as pixels. Pop-ups IN SPAAACE!

  5. Hots tips from the Dart mission by waynemcdougall · · Score: 1, Funny
    ...docking maneuvers for future orbiting satellites.' NASA's DART mission was designed to do the same thing, but in 2005 shut itself down and bumped into the satellite it was only meant to approach."

    Maybe I can get some hot pick-up tips from this Nasa Dart guy. I shut down on approach alright, but don't even get to bump into her after that.

    Oh satellites docking....never mind...

    --
    Recycle PCs and build a wireless community network www.hillsborough.org.nz
  6. Re:SPHERES (Worst acronym ever) by ookabooka · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Hey, how about we call them Synchronized Position Hold Engage Re-Orient Experimental Satellites?"

    "That's a great idea Johnson, it's descriptive, uses buzz words. I can't think of a better name. Sheer genius!"

    "Thank you sir, oh hey, that spells out SPHERES!!"

    "My God, you're right! What an amzing coincidence!!"

    I pray to God it didn't happen like that, hopefully they came up with the name first for PR reasons. . .

    --
    If you are about to mod me down, keep in mind that this post was most likely sarcastic.
  7. The race is on... by LordVader717 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Who's the first to hack the system, and display a giant goatse in the evening sky?

  8. Unit systems by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I bet this soccer ball sized satellite in a space station the size of a football field will generate a Library of Congress worth of information.