Slashdot Mirror


Why NASA Launched Millions of Tiny Copper Wires In Orbit

coondoggie writes "Imagine 500 million short copper wires — no longer than the tip of your index finger — floating in space creating what amounts to an antenna belt that could be used to send messages and conduct other space communications research. That would describe the 1960s era Project Space Needles or Project West Ford as it was sometimes called that NASA and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology last undertook in 1963 which saw the blasting of millions of those copper hairs into space. NASA's Orbital Debris Program Office this month did a 'Where are they now' look at those copper wires and said that after 50 years, some of them indeed still make up a small amount of orbital debris."

6 of 86 comments (clear)

  1. Re:dup by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Today must be Alzheimer's Day, the previous story was a dupe, too.

    Copper may play key role in Alzheimer's disease

    August 19, 2013|By Melissa Healy

    Copper, including trace amounts in water that passes through copper pipes like these, appears to cause a cascade of events that feeds the progression of Alzheimer's disease, a new study says.
    New research finds that copper in amounts readily found in our drinking water, the foods we eat and the vitamin supplements we take likely plays a key role in initiating and fueling the abnormal protein build-up and brain inflammation that are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease.

    link:http://articles.latimes.com/2013/aug/19/science/la-sci-copper-alzheimers-disease-20130819

  2. Re:dup by Thanshin · · Score: 5, Funny

    Today must be AIzheimer's Day, the previous story was a dupe, too.

  3. Re:dup by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 4, Funny

    French toast please.

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  4. lenght of index finger tip ... by YoungManKlaus · · Score: 2, Funny

    very exact measurement ... NOT!

  5. Re:dup by broknstrngz · · Score: 1, Funny

    Earlier today, the OP was heard saying "I know I have Alzheimer's, but hey, at least I don't have Alzheimer's!"

  6. Re:Look up "Window" from WWII RAF tactics by dargaud · · Score: 4, Funny

    Just made me waste 2 hours on wikipedia. Proud of yourself ?

    --
    Non-Linux Penguins ?