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Satellites Mating Via Robotic Arm
Roland Piquepaille writes "The launch of the Orbital Express mission, with its two satellites ASTRO and NextSat, the first one servicing the other, was widely covered a month ago. But what is happening in space now? In 'Robotic satellite servicer rehearsal underway in orbit,' Spaceflight Now reports about the progress done. A week ago, the two satellites were able to link to each other to operate the first transfer of hydrazine fuel from ASTRO's propellant tanks into NextSat. This weekend, ASTRO's ten-foot-long robotic arm is going to be used to move objects to NextSat. But what does it mean for international satellite operators when they need help with their space birds? Will they use a system designed for U.S.'s DARPA? "
does this qualify as rule 34?
Snowden and Manning are heroes.
I'm gonna post that on 4chan.
Sounds like their more at the foreplay stage.
But what does it mean for international website operators when they need help to deliver their content? Will they use a system designed for U.S.'s DARPA?
Ewige Blumenkraft.
If you do it with your arm it's not technically "mating."
My Greatest Heist - Muisc partly inspired by the unbeatable Qwantz
OK, these satellites aren't really mating. Are they exchange some kind of digital DNA or code? Is one going to become pregnant and reproduce?
I'm all for understanding scientific miracles of progress in mythical or reverential terms at *some* level, but this one doesn't really fly with me. I would describe it more as doctoring or healing.
Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.
-- Pablo Picasso
Octopus would disagree with you. In addition, so would many of the artificial inseminators.
Heck, there is even a case of a doc getting a BJ from another doc, and it turned out that she saved the sperm on the side and impregnated herself. Later, she was able to sue him in court for paternal support.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
Two roland blogspam articles on the front page at the same time... it would be funny if it wasn't a shitcock earning money he doesn't deserve by whoring other peoples' work.
Does this qualify as a marital aid?
At least they're doing it... in Space.
What?
So NextSat gave ASTRO a reach-around?
Rut-roh Rorge!
Where does the school board find them and why do they keep sending them to ME?
I can guarantee no non-US agency or company will use DARPA's method any time soon. All space-related activity falls under International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), so it can't be shared with any non-US entity.
But what does it mean for international satellite operators when they need help with their space birds? Will they use a system designed for U.S.'s DARPA?
I don't know... what does it mean when an Airbus passenger jet needs help with a bad engine? That systems being built by the US to service their own flying hardware should also be set up to fix other countries'/consortiums' hardware? Would something designed by the European space entities/ventures be designed specifically to service both their stuff and everyone else's? Why is this question even being asked in this context? Oh, right... because it's flamebait, and that generates chit-chat, like this.
Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
Satellites Mating Via Robotic Arm ...in Spaaaace!
Why is it that when you believe something it's an opinion, but when I believe something it's a manifesto?
I tagged this as "bowchickawowwow"
FINALLY... my fetish has come true! Those pics were so HOT!
I will bend like a reed in the wind.
Is who do i have to talk to to download my 1337 space robot porn? Is this a new marketing/fundraising tactic by NASA?
Link in parent NSFW (contains hentai).
The rule is: "Rule 34: If it exists there is porn of it. No exceptions."
... am not going to make the obvious robot jokes.
The porn of the future.
Why did the submitter have to phrase the title that way?! This is some really cool stuff. Yet as it is, I think I saw about three posts that did not in some way allude to sex.... *sigh* What are you to expect from the Slashdot crowd?
Automated Rendezvous and Docking is an exciting field right now. Success of the Orbital Express mission is going to be a huge step forward (trying to be optimistic). The linked article looks pretty good. Space.com also has a good story on it.
"I don't want people thinking we're robosexuals, so if anybody asks, you're my debugger." - Bender
To do something right, you often have to roll up your sleeves and get busy.
N/ot that it does any good to ask an AC anything, but what about Linux then?
Money is the root of all evil?
Well, that's it, then. Even orbital satellites are getting more action than I am.
I'm a robot in space and I likes to ...
m p3
http://www.gotdamnrekkids.com/Robot%20in%20Space.
I looked at TFA, and i watched the video and images in there, and came to a question:
If my cellphone has a 3.2Mpx color camera built-in it, Why can't an expensive spacecraft like this have a decent COLOR camera?
When you build a ship to sail deep space,
...That's where I come in.
you can't have a crew of mortal race;
'cause a hundred years from star to star
with a human crew is just too far.
Think of all the beer you'd have to bring,
not to mention...other necessities.
So you fill your ship with a robot crew,
you add a computer captain, too--
you get some experience for free,
from some old spacer's personality.
Like some shuttle pilot who's just learned from his last mistake.
So, you find some bloke who's halfway dead,
and you haul him home and you scan his head--
And a hundred years of flyin' high is a damned good deal when you're about to die!
'Till you've had a few decades to think about it.
It gets lonely out in space.
And a thousand frozen colonists don't count.
Well, there beyond my solar sail
are five hundred hunks of frozen tail.
If I thawed one out (and I know I could)
it wouldn't do me a bit of good.
Don't have any damned body.
Just this starship.
Half a billion miles astern,
it's another lonesome sucker's turn.
So, I'll radio back and say "Hey, you!"
Oh...I didn't know they took women, too.
Lovely night out, tonight, isn't it?
Gee, look at all them pretty stars.
Yeah. Me too.
So, we'll talk and murmer "I love you"
like other star-crossed lovers do,
and in eighty years, we've made a date!
Ever see two starships mate?
(That was from memory--Apologies to Frank Hayes for any mangling of his lyrics)
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, it doesn't go away." - Philip K. Dick
To get specific, GPS satellites fire thrusters about twice a year to keep their orbit the right inclination, and the rotation the right speed (Delta V and Delta Yaw maneuvers). The satellites don't carry a whole lot of fuel for system design and weight reasons. The birds are built to last 5 years and have always had enough fuel for stationkeeping to outlive the 5. However, I've seen first generation (Block 1) last 13 years when only designed to live 2 (SVN3 for anyone who cares) as an R&D bird. Hence, current birds designed to last 5 can run out of Hydrazine at the 8 or 9 year mark. Those birds could be theoretically refuelled to last longer. A good rebuttal, however, could be the current birds are getting so cluttered that fuel is no longer a large cause for end-of-life super-sync.
For the uninitiated, super-sync is where you boost the satellite far enough out that it won't pose a physical safety risk for that orbital slot. There are certain positions needed and if a dead satellite is there it renders it unusable (e.g. visualize a commercial airliner that gets a flat on the runway, and the runway is now permanently unusable....maintenance crews can't get to a satellite 12,000 miles away). You spin it up so that it remains stable due to gyroscopic forces. If it's spun up, and even super-synced, it's still somewhat usable in extreme circumstances (e.g. GulfWar I used a GPS bird previously unusable).
Finally, my last point was in regards to satellites that use a lot of fuel. MILSTAR satellites perform thruster firings all the time and even do it automously (GPS is a big affair with lots of people on crew watching and commanding the firing....currently...newer ones are being built which MAY do it themselves). The satellite is extremely heavy, requiring the largest spacelift vehicles available for their 22,000 mile high orbit. If you could refuel at a orbital transfer point, it could reduce the weight at launch.
Anyway, this comment will probably be lost in the sex jokes, but the implications of this are really cool for the space geek. For the other post about using it as a satellite killer...this is really something the US Military is trying to avoid. We could easily and completely render useless the asset of Space if we're not careful about debris. From a practical, and strategic standpoint, it's a bad idea. Sorta like briefcase nukes. Yeah, we can do it, but it's pretty stupid. (hence the nuclear artillary and briefcases are a relic from the 60s which likely will never be revisited).
So thats what these kids are calling it these days...
The day Microsoft creates a product that doesn't suck, it will be known as the Microsoft Vaccuum Cleaner!
How long before the baby satellites arrive?
Welcome to the late 80s, APK.
+++ATH0