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French Threat To ID Secret US Satellites

SkiifGeek brings to our attention a story that ran on space.com a few months back but didn't get much wider notice at the time. "The French have identified numerous objects in orbit that do not appear in the ephemeris data reported by the US Space Surveillance Network. Now, the US claims that if it doesn't appear in the ephemeris data, then it doesn't exist. The French insist that at least some of the objects they have found boast solar arrays. Therefore it seems that the French have found secret US satellites. While they don't plan to release the information publicly, they do intend to use it as leverage to get the US to suppress reporting of sensitive French satellites in their published ephemeris."

32 of 355 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Headline by deftcoder · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's a kdawson story... he just randomly clicks 'accept' without even looking at them.

    --
    Peace sells, but who's buying?
  2. oh god... by doubtless · · Score: 4, Funny

    freedom fries all over again?

    --
    geek page at KY speaks
  3. ground control to major tom by User+956 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Therefore it seems that the French have found secret US satellites.

    If they're referring to the moon, that's been ours for a while (finders keepers), and it's not exactly a secret. unless you're referring to man-made satellites only?

    --
    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
  4. 'Lost' satellites by flyingfsck · · Score: 2, Funny

    Numerous communications satellites have been lost over the years. Others may be a secret alien monitoring network...

    --
    Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
  5. Re:Oh no the French are mad by Conspicuous+Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wow, and the French though that your fat American fingers would never be able to crank out predictable trolls about their military with such speed :-P Clearly they underestimated you. Kudos.

  6. Re:This is easily winnable for the USA by martijnd · · Score: 4, Funny

    After spending the last 20 odd year's playing Metal of Honor ; and thus being suitably "trained"
    the American infantry will drop into Normandy, make a big mess of the coast and head for Berlin at high speed; reaching the operational "goal" in less than 24 hours as they can just take the train instead of grunting it out by foot.

    The French will barely notice ; but the Germans will wonder why Checkpoint Charlie was rebuild overnight.Berlin disco's will put on a "retro" 40's theme.

    The European Union will then spend the next six months debating who will pay for the environmental damage done to the French coast and whether or not the shrimp industry qualifies for subsidies.

  7. Re:Headline by JonathanR · · Score: 3, Funny

    Shouldn't they just offer them for sale on eBay?

  8. Re:This is easily winnable for the USA by ghoul · · Score: 1, Funny

    Or US Marines will refuse to get off the landing craft as they dont have enough Ipods to go around. So they will be airlifted by Ospreys half of which will crash killing half the invasion force. At this point the psychoanalysts will recommend a night out on the town (Paris preferably) to deal with their PTSD. At which point the marines would discover how worthless their dollars are that they cant even buy cigarettes. Around this point in time the marines would realize they are all Germans anyway (German is the largest ethnic group in the US) and ask for German/EU citizenship. And then they will go join the Shrimp Industry - Bubba Gump Shrimp anyone?

    --
    **Life is too short to be serious**
  9. Re:Secret US Satellites? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I personally know the REAL head of the NSA. We lunch daily and discuss the latest sat feeds over fresh ground coffee and scones. No shit.

  10. Re:Tor like oatmeals! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    See ya.

  11. Re:This is easily winnable for the USA by dafragsta · · Score: 2, Funny

    Very easily winnable. The Iraqis aren't wearing berets.

  12. Re:This is easily winnable for the USA by Wavicle · · Score: 4, Funny

    So they will be airlifted by Ospreys half of which will crash killing half the invasion force.

    Wow. You really think half of the Ospreys won't crash?

    --
    Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.
    Edward Everett (1794 - 1865)
  13. Re:let 'em by Oswald · · Score: 2, Funny
    If they're really there, it's an empty threat.

    But if they're not there, it's...serious?

  14. uh hem... by djupedal · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Pardon Moi, but does your secret satellite fire lasers?"

    "No, it certainly does not."

    "Oh...good. Then I'll just be orbiting this small camera platform over here next to it and...."ZZZzzzZZzzZzzzzzzZZZZZZZzzaaaaaaappppppppppppPPPPPPPP!!!!!!

    "I thought you said your secret satellite doesn't fire lasers!!??"

    "That's not my secret satellite..."

  15. In their defense.... by Darth · · Score: 5, Funny

    Considering recent history, they probably suspect the worst case scenario for exposing a U.S. spy satellite is a pardon.

    --
    Darth --
    Nil Mortifi, Sine Lucre
  16. Re:US? by Adambomb · · Score: 2, Funny

    Or pur a whole bunch of other countries flags on it. Confuse the hell out of the issue.

    --
    Ice Cream has no bones.
  17. Re:But you don't get it, they "don't" exist! by arivanov · · Score: 2, Funny

    As the French would say: "Touche, Monsieur".

    --
    Baker's Law: Misery no longer loves company. Nowadays it insists on it
    http://www.sigsegv.cx/
  18. How many frenchmen does it take to defend paris? by xQx · · Score: 2, Funny

    I dunno... None have ever tried.

    [Not a Troll, just a man with cheap jokes]

  19. Re:But you don't get it, they "don't" exist! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Meh Laserbeam lacks sportsmanship. Now if they decided to play ariadne-dart with 'em spy sats...

  20. Re:How many frenchmen does it take to defend paris by bmo · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'll see your cheap joke and raise you one:

    Why do the French plant trees beside the road?

    So the Germans can march in the shade. :-D

    --
    BMO

    karma to burn baaaybe, karma to burn...

  21. Re:let 'em by ozmanjusri · · Score: 2, Funny
    and of course copious free time and lots of coffee.

    So what you're saying is that we will have to ban coffee or let the terrorists win?

    --
    "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
  22. Re:I don't think so by JordanL · · Score: 3, Funny

    Crap, you mean Tom Clancy didn't just make that shit up?

  23. Really handy by k31bang · · Score: 2, Funny

    * In which case, if you know when it's over you, and when it's not, then you have a rough idea of when you're in the crosshairs. That can be handy.

    Give the camera a good mooning?
    --
    -+-=-+-=-+-=-+-=-+-=-+ *** http://www.mountainfort.com *** +-=-+-=-+-=-+-=-+-=-+-
  24. Re:I don't think so by Algorithmnast · · Score: 2, Funny

    * In which case, if you know when it's over you, and when it's not, then you have a rough idea of when you're in the crosshairs. That can be handy. Yep - especially if I want to moon the satellite.
  25. Re:Spy vs Spy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Jim Hacker: It's a bluff. I probably wouldn't use it.
    Sir Humphrey: Yes, but they don't know that you probably wouldn't.
    Jim Hacker: They probably do.
    Sir Humphrey: Yes, they probably know that you probably wouldn't. But they can't certainly know.
    Jim Hacker: They probably certainly know that I probably wouldn't.
    Sir Humphrey: Yes, but even though they probably certainly know that you probably wouldn't, they don't certainly know that, although you probably wouldn't, there is no probability that you certainly would.

  26. if they don't exist... by Tastecicles · · Score: 2, Funny

    then the US surely won't mind a few missile tests in the general direction of those holes in the sky?

    --
    Operation Guillotine is in effect.
  27. Re:US? by mpe · · Score: 2, Funny

    Cuz if I were going to put a spy satellite up, I'd totally put a flag on it so they knew whose spy satellite it was.

    You might want to put a flag on it, just not your flag on it. If you really wanted to confuse people you'd use the flag of somewhere like Zimbabwe.

  28. Re:The French Aren't Threatening Anyone by Kartoffel · · Score: 2, Funny

    "I fart in your general direction!"

  29. Re:But you don't get it, they "don't" exist! by Midnight+Thunder · · Score: 2, Funny

    There is a joke that I once heard before about a US stealth plane flying over France, along these lines:

    The French detect a spy plane flying over their territory and on suspecting that it belongs to the US contact them:
    French: We have an unidentified plane flying over our territory and believe it is yours
    USA: I don't think so
    French: Are you sure?
    USA: Yes
    French: So you won't mind if we shoot it down
    USA: Uh um, you had better hold off on that one

    Apparently the French Thompson radar are meant to be that good. Not being a military expert I don't really know.

    --
    Jumpstart the tartan drive.
  30. Re:Headline by switc4 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Surely 'Mutualy Assured Dissemination'.

  31. Re:This is easily winnable for the USA by jollyreaper · · Score: 4, Funny

    So they will be airlifted by Ospreys half of which will crash killing half the invasion force. Wow. You really think half of the Ospreys won't crash? I think he's saying half the troops will think better of getting into those deathtraps. In this case, he feels the glass is only half fools.
    --
    Kwisatz Haderach
    Sell the spice to CHOAM
    This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
  32. Re:Tweenies by mephistophyles · · Score: 2, Funny

    They're being French wasn't reason enough?
    *ducks and runs*