MAIN ARTICLE: NASA wants an Internet for Deep Space?
NASA tests a new "internet" for space. Do you feel this is a good idea for our for our space dollars to be spent developing?
Poll Results: Yesterday's weekly tracking poll had a strong turnout, scroll down to see the results.
Star Trek: In the News. Scroll down to find out the what's happening in the Star Trek Universe, click subscribe to stay informed.
Yesterday's Comments: "then our task is to generate a blizzard of email and postcards to the White House. Science & engineering are the best and most productive longterm investments we can make in our future. This is not the time for short-term thinking." - G2geek
Today's Poll: Sunday's "So let it be written, so let it be done" weekly poll on space issues. Scroll down to take today's poll.
Recently NASA tested a new system for space communications. An internet for space and the multiple vehicles out there. NASA believes this will offer many solutions to problems they currently experience that increases the amount of time and manhours spent on various projects.
NASA reported that:
"it successfuly conducted a first test of a deep space communications network modeled on the Internet.
"This is the first step in creating a totally new space communications capability, an interplanetary Internet," Adrian Hooke, NASA's manager of space-networking architecture, technology and standards, said in a statement.
The US space agency said Jet Propulsion Laboratory engineers used software called Disruption-Tolerant Networking, or DTN, to transmit dozens of space images to and from a NASA spacecraft some 20 million miles (32.4 million kilometers) from Earth.
NASA said the software protocol, which must be able to withstand delays, disruptions and disconnections in space, was designed in partnership with Vint Cerf, a vice president at Internet search giant Google." - NASA tests "deep space Internet"
GOOGLE is once again involved with New Space and new forms of bringing information to the general public. Google is also funding the Google Lunar X Prize:
"The Google Lunar X PRIZE is a $30 million competition for the first privately funded team to send a robot to the moon, travel 500 meters and transmit video, images and data back to the Earth."
There are currently 16 teams competing for the prize money.
As more and more satellites and probes are put into space this could be a real problem solver. In a related article that may also hold potential for space applications is a new form of transmission:
Internet in space goal of firm, 2 UA schools
"If all goes well for Space Photonics Inc.'s latest research push, the light at the end of the tunnel should be visible within 10 years.
That same light would also hold at least 80 times more data than radio waves now used for military and commercial use - a development that could revolutionize how people communicate with one another.
Known as Project COWIN, or Collaborative Optical Wireless Information Network, the effort involves a partnership between the Fayetteville-based firm and the faculty and graduate students at the University of Arkansas' campuses in Fayetteville and Little Rock.
The goal is to develop a laserbased "Internet in space " that moves data at least 100 times faster than a digital subscriber line, or DSL, technology that telecommunications companies now offer, said Chuck Chalfant, president and chief executive officer of Space Photonics."
POLL RESULTS:
Well another first for the 'Americans in Space' blog, a new high water mark with over 2000 votes cast so far in these polls.
A stronger then usual turn out with yesterday's Weekly Tracking Poll. "Percent of Budget towards Space Spending."
The three strongest choices this week were those wanting more than four percent of the federal budget going towards space spending (23%) with 17% of DKOS members who took part in the poll wanting only two percent of the budget funding space issues. A very close third were those 16% who felt that space spending should be cut.
Weekly Tracking Polls:
Sat Dec 27, 2008
Sat Dec 20, 2008. Sat Dec 13, 2008, Sat Dec 6, 2008, Sat Nov 29, 2008, Sat Nov 22, 2008
OTHER POLLS:
SERIES 3:
Mon: Moon, Tues: Space Tourism, Wed: Mars, Thur: LEO2GEO, Fri: SSP
SERIES 2:
Poll #1 Space Solar Power (SSP) 27%
Poll #2 Space Solar Power (SSP) 33%
Poll #3 Nuclear Engines..............33%
Poll #4 Battery Systems..............18%
Poll #5 Battery Systems..............25%
SPACE SOLAR POWER (SSP)
SERIES 1:
Poll #1 Mars Base 34%
Poll #2 Moon Base 30%
Poll #3 Moon Base 40%
Poll #4 LEO Fuel Depot 38%
Poll #5 Moon base 30%
MOON BASE 28% - 31.8% (adjusted)
STAR TREK: In the News.
Things we're looking forward to in 2009
"STAR TREK: Gene Roddenberry's franchise was deader than a red shirt on a scouting mission - that is, until J.J. Abrams decided to revisit the early Starfleet days of Kirk, Spock, Bones et al in a Star Trek film reboot."
YESTERDAY'S COMMENTS:
A tip of the hat to Steve J:
"Done properly A space program can be a huge pump primer for the economy from R&D to Materials Science to General Technology and every other type of spinoff etc. These all create jobs in the long run.
You have, unfortunately swallowed the line that space is a resource sink, an indulgence."
Steve was responding to a comment by OReilly's Nightmare
"I think NASA are at odds with Obama...because in the WORST economy we've had since World War II, can we really afford a progressive space program? That's something best left for boom times."
MrMichaelMT - "Only the top NASA management are that political. It's important to remember (as I tell my students) that any funds paid to NASA are paid to American scientists and graduate students, so they are definitely part of infrastructure.
I agree with you that working engineers (as opposed to appointed administrators) will be "painfully honest" if asked the right (and very specific) questions. It is up to the transition team to ask those questions.
My bet is that NASA's science budget will increase."
This comment by Hamillian Actor sums up it best:
"Spending on NASA is an investment into the future and the technologies of tomorrow."
TODAY'S POLL:
Today's poll is about NASA desire to develop an internet for deep space. Is this a worthy goal at this time or should this be on a back burner for now. You decide.