Military's Satellite Meteor Data Sharing May Soon Resume

jbdigriz writes "Leonard David has a followup piece to his original story, referenced here on June 22nd ('US Military Blocks Data On Incoming Meteors'). Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert Rego explains his decision to suspend the meteor data sharing program due to 'loopholes' in the informal arrangement. He and Congressman Dana Rohrabacher hold out some hope that the program will resume on a more secure basis at some unspecified but not too distant point."

Comments

Conspiracy.

[Seumas]

The big one is clearly headed for us and the planet is doomed and they just don't want people to know and start panicking. So, I would encourage everyone to panic.

Re:Conspiracy.

[cupantae]

Professor, without knowing precisely what the danger is, would you say it's time for our viewers to crack each other's heads open and feast on the goo inside?

No! Don't tell us!

[Tubal-Cain]

I want the civilization-ending meteor strike to be a surprise!

Re:No! Don't tell us!

[MichaelSmith]

I had the same reaction, why would meteor data ever be classified????

Because it gives you information about the sensors used to detect the meteors.

Re:No! Don't tell us!

[mpoulton]

I had the same reaction, why would meteor data ever be classified????

Did you RTFA? This actually makes some sense when taken in context and explained... as in the article. The problem is that providing the data collected about incoming meteors necessarily describes the functionality and implied limitations of the detection system. Knowing the capabilities and limitations provides a strategic advantage to those who might try to avoid detection. Since the system is so complex and advanced, it is reasonable to believe that the capabilities will not be fully known by other militaries unless the information is leaked - or released in the form of data output.

Re:No! Don't tell us!

[santax]

They did provide that data for years... You could look at the old data to understand the system. Still wouldn't do you any good though. There is a sat system that can detect big sources of energy. Nothing secret about it. This only proves that it's about bloody time that China or the EU puts some sats of her own in the skies. Before we know it GPS coordinates will be a national secret to the US also.

Re:No! Don't tell us!

[John Hasler]

The data was being released in a somewhat informal fashion. There may not have been any classified stuff leaked in the past, but it could happen in the future if, for example, the system is upgraded and the quality of the released data suddenly changes. The general wants the data to be properly declassified to make sure that doesn't happen, but declassification is expensive and he doesn't have a budget for it. It's possible that the deal he has struck involves some other agency reimbursing his command for the cost of declassifying and publishing the data.

Re:No! Don't tell us!

[theshibboleth]

Actually the U.S. military has already used its control of the GPS satellites to its strategic advantage - during the Persian Gulf War the U.S. made the GPS satellites give data that was slightly off and then reset the satellites so the Iraqis had to waste time recalibrating their weapons systems twice before the war started.

That's because the war is over

[cupantae]

The war ended on July the 4th, so this is no longer confidential military information. For more information on the invasion, see this recent documentary

Re:That's because the war is over

[PPH]

Not a problem. The aliens recieved a bunch of e-mail greeting cards from .ru domains. They opened a couple of them and it'll be weeks before they can clean the corrupted codecs off their systems.

Scientists are Liberals?

[Anonymous Coward]

So, if you read TFA, the military specifically didn't want sensor data compromised, and some asshat scientist ruined the show by publishing a lightcurve off one of the meteors, which was a no-no per the agreement. I can see why the military stomped on that hard. And yes, sensor capability is a big deal; It's not like you can launch another satellite without the world knowing about it, and upgrading the sensors already got nuked by congress for being over budget.

Re:Scientists are Liberals?

[Decker-Mage]

Political leanings are irrelevant here. From the light curve, you can extrapolate sensor capability in a various applications such as boost-course, mid-course, even late-course ballistic missile/warhead intercept capabilities, which should, given known albedo characteristics for those phases, liklihood of detection. That's just one engineer's perspective.

Re:Scientists are Liberals?

[kaiser423]

Exactly! Non-story!

They had an informal agreement that benefited all, some one goes and pisses in the pool. Responsible General kicks him out of the pool, and quickly creates new rules that allow everyone to benefit again and share while keeping jack-asses out.

Actually sounds like responsible governing/program management to me...

It makes sense

[PPH]

After all, we know that the aliens monitor our communications. So broadcasting the distance and bearing of near misses will provide them with information they can use to adjust their targeting.