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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."

3 of 42 comments (clear)

  1. 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.

  2. 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
  3. 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!