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French Threat To ID Secret US Satellites

Posted by kdawson on from the i-spy-with-my-little-radar dept.

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."

6 of 355 comments (clear)

  1. 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.
  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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..."

  5. 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
  6. 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.