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Post by cos on Jun 29, 2009 11:14:55 GMT -4
Indeed. 2 way satellite communication is a reality and provided that the targeted area was accurate (you wouldn't want the whole of the middle east getting free broadband - or maybe you would) then I can't see what the Iranian (for example) government could do about it. And I wouldn't shoot down an American satellite any more than I would attack their warships in the open sea unless you want to face the consequences.
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Post by cos on Jun 28, 2009 9:42:19 GMT -4
Given totalitarian regimes love of censoring the internet a satellite parked over their heads providing unrestricted internet access would rather undermine them. Obviously you couldn't do it to the Chinese as they may view such a move as an aggressive act and are capable of destroying it but censorship in countries like Iran & Burma would potentially be undermined.
I ask this question because a new generation of cheaper satellites are proposed for Europe each capable of supporting 800K connections at broadband speeds to cover rural holes in accessing broadband internet, so it seems that the technology has come of age.
So how would a hostile regime attempt to jam such a satellite? It isn't like jamming the BBC World Service or Radio America, you need a line of sight connection. You could mount a DoS attack but this occasionally happens now and can be dealt with in the normal manner.
So would this be a way of undermining totalitarian regimes or am I missing something obvious?
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Post by cos on May 23, 2009 17:53:02 GMT -4
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Post by cos on Dec 31, 2008 15:13:50 GMT -4
Yesterday at 1:27pm, oldman wrote: I certainly agree that the astronauts could physically lift that much weight given that the conditions are equivalent to lifting a water bottle in an office environment. The real question is would they do this in this particular situation and why? What could possibly have motivated them to pick up and move the equivalent of a 90 pound barbell? --------------------------------------------------
Well it may have been quicker than panning the camera. On Apollo 15 at the end of the EVA 3 where Dave Scott demonstrated the hammer and feather falling in a vacuum, I have a memory of him single handedly dragging the car around to provide a better view (possibly at mission controls request). No doubt an isolated photo of the car after such a maneuver would be enough for you to claim fake.
Why don't you sit through an EVA or two. Quite frankly no one I have sat down has lasted more than 30 mins before deciding it was too boring to be fake! (not my opinion but it has a certain mind numbing prossaity that no director could ever come up with).
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Post by cos on Oct 6, 2008 20:21:51 GMT -4
I think Dilbert sums D-K management in action.
I once trained 3 graduates. Try as I might, one of them wasn't capable of logical thought and I had to tell my superiors that he couldn't make the cut. Without further ado they put him on a fast track management course (which attracted a 50% pay rise). The 2 competent graduates asked me if I could fail them too. I think that another observation is that D-K managers recognise and promote their own
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Post by cos on Oct 3, 2008 12:40:53 GMT -4
If you are at all interested in the history of flight the flight secton at the very top is excellent. It used to contain the Wrights flyer until 1940 (yeah missed it by a bit) but you'll find Alcock and Brown's Vickers Vimy there (first to cross the atlantic), the prototype harrier (the P1127), the E28/39 first British Jet plane and the first jet engine, the forerunner to the Spitfire (the S6B float plane which broke the speed record of the day), Amy Johnson's plane that she flew solo to Australia (Jason), an ME163 (sort of rocket powered), a spitfire from the Battle of Britain period and a whole stack of other interesting stuff.
Also you can't beat the Science museum for early industrial history if that at all interests you.
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Post by cos on Oct 3, 2008 11:26:53 GMT -4
And for my troubles....
Last night there was an almighty crash from the kids room. I rushed in to find a box of toys strewn on the floor and feathers floating around the room. My not quite 5 year old was demonstrating Dave Scot's experiment to his 3 year old brother by hurling a box of toys off the bunk bed and a load of feathers he had liberated from a pillow. My annoyance was tempered by hearing his explanation; 'On the moon they would hit the floor at the same time because it's in a vacuum. Pay attention Zach or you won't learn anything and you'll be a rubbish grown up'. No HB's in the making here!
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Post by cos on Oct 2, 2008 14:49:55 GMT -4
I'm impressed. Is nothing you guys don't know?!
Thanks
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Post by cos on Oct 1, 2008 20:36:27 GMT -4
I would like to show my little boy the hammer & feather demonstration from Apollo 15 but the YouTube clips I have found are all a bit fuzzy. I have the Spacecraft DVD for Apollo 15 but does anyone know on which EVA Dave Scott did the experiment (to save me sitting through the whole lot - I'd happily do so but my wife probably would have oher ideas). Memory makes me think it was the end of EVA 3 but if any of you good folk know I'd be most grateful.
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Post by cos on Sept 27, 2008 17:19:04 GMT -4
Correct me if I am wrong but some of today's technology may be less suitable than older technology. The damage caused by cosmic radiation to a VLSI microchip may destroy the processor but a system controlled by less advanced transistor circuitry may survive. Robustness and fitness for purpose is everything in space flight.
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Post by cos on Sept 24, 2008 18:18:54 GMT -4
The Apollo 13 capsule was on loan to a Paris museum but was recalled after the release of the Apollo 13 film. Annoyingly I only found out when I went to the museum in Paris and found a capsule shaped hole. My girlfriend couldn't see the problem 'wasn't it just like the one in London?' Well pretty much but that's not the point!
In answer to your query, I am not aware of any LM being exhibited outside the US but happy to be corrected if anyone knows any better.
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Post by cos on Sept 21, 2008 18:20:19 GMT -4
The HB’s just get weirder. This reminds me of a line from Cartman in Southpark; ‘ If dolphins are sooo clever how come they live in igloos?’ It is just so non sequitur that you struggle to know where to begin. I salute you for trying!
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Post by cos on Sept 21, 2008 17:48:19 GMT -4
Not seen Earthstorm but I will have to watch it now as my imagination cannot encompass how it could be worse than Armageddon.
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Post by cos on Aug 21, 2008 7:55:55 GMT -4
Can I just say, so what if Grissom said what is alleged (but a source would be nice). I have worked on many software and engineering projects and felt exasperated at some point. On my first technical lead I even said that the deadlines were not achievable but I was wrong. Experience has taught me that once you get organised, nail the requirements down and all head in the right direction, things that a month ago seemed impossible can start to come together quickly. Grissom wasn't responsible for delivering the systems but he was at the apex of the results and would have experienced numerous problems. A throwaway remark born out of understandable frustration proves absolutely nothing. Been there, done that.
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Post by cos on Aug 20, 2008 9:23:31 GMT -4
Yes indeed, where do you start with the 'gravity problem' . The fact that they can utter such stuff is truly amazing even observable reality can play no part in their universe.
On something a little more prosaic, has anyone got a link to a Galaxy 5A being used for drop tests in 1969. This aircraft was still in flight testing and the first aircraft wasn't delivered to a training unit until Dec 1969 so it seems a little hasty to be using a pre operational aircraft for any such purpose. I was aware of C133As being used for drop tests but if anyone has any info on the Galaxys use in this role I would like to hear it. Thanks
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