satellites
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Russian GPS alternative near completion, Putin and dog celebrate
Russia has announced the successful launch of three additional GLONASS navigation satellites on Christmas Day, bringing the total number of functional units to 18, and reportedly scaring the beejezus out of Santa and his reindeer during liftoff. The GPS competitor -- first begun in the Soviet era and only recently revived after years of post-collapse neglect -- is now theoretically capable of providing coverage to the entire Russian territory, with First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov claiming that the first compatible consumer devices will be available in the middle of next year. By 2010 Russia plans to open the system up to outside nations as well, contributing to an eventual three- or even four-system global market, and ensuring that President and Man of the Year Vladimir Putin will finally achieve his stated goal of being able to pinpoint his treasured black lab Koni anywhere in the world.
NASA helps predict, prevent disease outbreaks
We could almost swear we've heard this same scenario played out in a 80s era sci-fi drama, but apparently, this ain't out of any movie script. By utilizing 14 orbiting satellites and enlisting the assistance of NASA's Applied Sciences Program, scientists are reportedly observing our planet's environment to "help predict and prevent infectious disease outbreaks around the world." Apparently, the satellites collect environmental change data, which is then forwarded on to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Defense and broken down to estimate and track epidemics. The remote sensing technology is currently be used to target and track malaria (among other things), and NASA surveillance systems can also be used to determine if a given outbreak was caused by "natural circumstances" or if bioterrorism was to blame. Phew, at least we know 28 Days Later won't become an infamous example of life imitating art... right?[Via Slashdot]
NSSO ponders harvesting solar energy via satellites
When you've already got colleagues dreaming up space sunshades, all of a sudden harvesting energy from outside of the Earth's atmosphere doesn't sound like such a stretch. Apparently, ambitious individuals at the Pentagon's National Security Space Office (NSSO) may "begin a study in the near future on the possibility of using satellites to collect solar energy for use on Earth." Notably, the plan actually seeks to not only provide an alternate source of fuel to the oil-dependent dwellers here on Mother Earth, but it would hopefully provide ample energy "to US troops in bases or on the battlefield." As impossible as it may sound, the present probably isn't a bad time to consider such an endeavor now that solar cells are becoming increasingly efficient, and since an actual deployment wouldn't even be in the cards until "around 20 years" from now, it's not like there's oodles of time to waste.[Via Wired]
Inspector Gadget tackles 'The Case of the Experimental Space Tether'
One thing we love about scientist-types is their nerdy humor, so when researchers launch a trio of satellites next month to test the feasibility of space tether propulsion, the 'gadget' tasked with 'inspecting' the line will obviously be referred to as bumbling cartoon detective Inspector Gadget. The mission -- called MAST (for Multi-Application Survivable Tether) -- is scheduled to begin April 17th with a payload launch on a Dnepr rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, after which the Washington state-based Tethers Unlimited's two anchor sats (less-cleverly dubbed Ted and Ralph -- um, hello, Penny and Brain...) will gradually separate until they've pulled the kilometer-long line taut. That's when Inspector Gadget goes into action, traveling back and forth across the triple-braided tether at a snail-like .006 mph, all the while using its built-in camera to search for damage caused by radiation, micrometeoroids, and other nasty space stuff. Eventually the company is hoping to use its research to create orbiting systems that can fling other satellites into deep space, but seeing how the last Dnepr rocket crashed and burned on liftoff in 2006, Team Tether is probably best off taking this endeavor one step at a time.
Iridium Next: plans for next-gen satellite network
Although nothing is set in stone, everyone's favorite why-aren't-they-dead-yet satellite communications firm, Iridium, is starting to sketch out its next gen satellite network, titled, obviously enough. Iridium Next. Looking to go far beyond mere satphone calling and the like, Next might well include environmental monitoring, sat-photography, GPS, and a 10Mbps "broadband" mesh network. It'll cost Iridium about $2b when they light it up on or before 2016, but don't worry, you're sure to continue paying a buck or two a minute for taking advantage of that network, too.
Art Lebedev Studios' unveils artsy Sonicum 2.1 speaker set
While Ben Heckendorn and Soner Ozenc have definitely mastered their own forms of art, Art Lebedev provides soothing, aesthetic, and eye-tingling creations second to none. While his Optimus keyboard (and mini three as well) were flattering enough, the Mus2 pointer-shaped mouse was pure genius. Design freaks take heart, as Art Lebedev Studios' has an uber-sleek Sonicum speaker system up for pre-order, and besides eliciting all sorts of geekish lust, the 2.1 computer-minded setup boasts dual 5-watt NXT speakers, a 15-watt subwoofer, and a few design cues that set it apart from the rest. The satellites bear a striking resemblance to a speaker cone silhouette, the subwoofer's bass knob is cleverly marked with a textual smiley, and each simplistic piece is branded with Art's own barcode logo. For just €106.17 ($126.60), you can claim your Sonicum rig now, but unfortunately you'll be waiting until next April to hear (and see) Lebedev's latest masterpiece in person.
Pentagon plan to save endangered satellites not without risks
As you may or may not know (we sure didn't), all those satellites orbiting our little ball of blue are highly susceptible to traumatic events such as intense solar storms or space-based nuclear blasts, and would likely be crippled by the resulting swarm of charged particles. The big brains at the Pentagon are aware of this danger, of course, and have come up with a solution called "radiation belt remediation" that would employ even more sats to broadcast low frequency radio waves into particle filled areas, creating so-called wave-particle interactions that would encourage the pesky molecules to fall harmlessly into the Earth's upper atmosphere. Sounds like a great plan, except a team of researchers at New Zealand's University of Otago believe that all those charged particles in the ionosphere would absorb the vital communications signals that are normally supposed to be reflected back down to terra firma. Long story short, by saving the satellites, communications on the ground would be severely hampered, affecting everyone from military personnel to amateur radio hobbyists -- and in a worst case scenario, GPS signal quality and accuracy could be severely degraded, much to the dismay of the burgeoning geocaching community. Still, if this is the only option we've got in the face of a nuclear attack, losing ground -based communications for a week or so is a small price to pay in order to save hundreds of satellites; we can deal with our in-car sat nav systems acting screwy for a little while, but we must protect our ability to receive XM/Sirius and DISH/DirecTV broadcasts at all costs.
Toshiba adds new M105, A105, and P105 notebook configurations
Toshiba's got more notebooks in store for us today than just the R25 convertible and U205 ultra-portable we spotted earlier; nine more in fact, as the 14.1-inch M105, 15.4-inch A105, and 17-inch P105 Satellites have all been upgraded with three new configurations each. Focused on multimedia and gaming, the new P105 configs (pictured) -- the $1,199 S6024, $1,499 S6084, and $1,999 S9312 -- offer several compelling features, highlighted by Core Duo processors throughout the line, a nVidia GeForce Go 7900 GS graphics chip in the S6084, and an external USB tuner in the Windows Media Center Edition-powered S9312. The A105 also gets three fancy new looks, all featuring 5,400RPM hard drives, 533MHz DDR2 RAM, and integrated graphics: the $700 S2141 (1.46GHz Celeron M, 512MB of RAM, 80GB HDD), $999 S4074 (1.6GHz Core Duo T2050, 512MB RAM, 120GB storage, dual-layer DVD burner, Media Center Edition 2005), and $1,349 S4134 (same as the S4074 except for a 1.66GHz T2400 and 2GB of RAM). Rounding out the upgrades are S1021, S3041, and S3064 versions of the M105, which sport either Celeron M, Core Solo, or Core Duo processors, between 512MB and 1GB of RAM, 80GB or 120GB hard drives, and either a combo drive or DVD burner -- and are priced between $650 and $1,199. All nine new models are available immediately either directly from Toshiba or from your friendly neighborhood PC retailer.Read- P105Read- A105Read- M105
DHS looking to satellites, mesh networks for emergency communications
Seeking to avoid the communication breakdowns that occurred as a result of the September 11th terrorist attacks and the Hurricane Katrina disaster, the Department of Homeland Security is developing an emergency network that would let officials email one another even in the absence of a cellular infrastructure. The DHS' Advanced Research Projects Agency, which is analogous to the Pentagon's DARPA, is looking at a number of options to keep the data flowing following an emergency, including widespread deployment of mobile mesh networking technology or re-purposing some of the government's legacy satellites to handle terrestrial communications. This latter option is particularly attractive because some sats could offer transfer rates in excess of 100Mbps, and in fact a trial program is scheduled for this summer that will employ modified BlackBerries and Treos to send secure, satellite-based email between Homeland Security officials and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.[Via Smart Mobs]