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U.S. Satellite Plan Could Knock Out GPS and Radio

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the protect-at-all-cost dept.

Audent writes "Otago University researchers are concerned by U.S. plans to protect satellites from solar storms... "The approach, which is being considered by the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, involves using very low frequency radio waves to flush particles from belts and dump them into the upper atmosphere over either one or several days". The plan could disrupt GPS signals and high frequency radio over the Pacific for up to a week. "The disruptions result from a deluge of dumped charged particles temporarily changing the ionosphere from a "mirror" that bounces high frequency radio waves around the planet to a "sponge" that soaks them up.""

13 of 152 comments (clear)

  1. hmmm.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I wonder if they are going to emply "Sharks with fricking laser-beams" on this one...

    1. Re:hmmm.... by The_REAL_DZA · · Score: 2, Funny

      No, but they'll not do it if we pay them one...MILLION...dollars...

      --


      This space intentionally left (almost) blank.
  2. Toilet habits by krell · · Score: 2, Funny

    "flush particles from belts and dump them "

    Isn't the dump supposed to come first?

    --
    Where were you when the voynix came?
  3. But what if by MECC · · Score: 4, Funny

    But what if we reversed the polarity of the particle beam, and then redirected the emissions harmlessly into space - like deflating a balloon. We'd just need 30 minutes to recharge the anti-matter particle deflector grid.

    --
    "We are all geniuses when we dream"
    - E.M. Cioran
    1. Re:But what if by Cait+Sith · · Score: 2, Funny

      Geordie, that just might work. Make it so.

    2. Re:But what if by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Leela: I didn't want to leave them either Fry but what are we supposed to do?
      Fry: Well, usually on the show someone would come up with a complicated plan then explain it with a simple analogy.
      Leela: Hmm. If we can reroute engine power through the primary weapons and reconfigure them to Melllvar's frequency that should overload his electro-quantum structure.
      Bender: Like putting too much air in a ballon!

      Leela: It's not working. He's drawing straight from our weapons.
      Fry: Like a balloon when ...something bad happens.

    3. Re:But what if by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Scotty could have done it in 10, but he would always say that it would take 30! And he would never guarantee anything greater than Warp 2.

      Everyone likes to pretend that Scotty was some genius engineer. The only thing about him that could be classified as genius was his ability to lie to the captain. Considering that Kirk was in command I don't blame him. Kirk wasn't well known for his ability to ferret out lies from crewmembers. But Scotty wasn't the worst liar. It was Bones! He was always saying "He's dead Jim!" because he never completed medical school and didn't have a clue. But in reality, most of his patients were just unconcious and would recover fine--until he finished the job later.

    4. Re:But what if by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      That doesn't sound like a TNG explanation to me. The analogy of deflating a baloon screams voyager to me.

  4. Umm... by salad_fingers · · Score: 5, Funny

    Can you find me now? Good.

  5. RIAA by ThePopeLayton · · Score: 4, Funny

    Whatever, I am sure this is an RIAA funded project to shut down XM radio

  6. One... BILLION... Dollars! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    ... in payment from the UN, or else we'll carry out our dastardly plan to dump the radiation belts into the atmosphere!

    (Man, this is so much cooler than that shark / laser beam idea...)

    Muhahaha!

  7. Re:I'm sure they've thought of it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    You mean it didn't get shot down by the insurgent air-force?

  8. I feel a great disturbance in the force... by eheldreth · · Score: 2, Funny

    As if thousands of Geocachers suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced...

    --
    The perversity of the Universe tends towards a maximum. - O'Toole's Corollary