Comments on: Nano Pico Femto Satellites http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/nano-pico-femto-satellites.html Science Blog from Freelance Science Writer David Bradley Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:41:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: David Bradley http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/nano-pico-femto-satellites.html/comment-page-1#comment-630141 David Bradley Wed, 13 May 2009 10:46:49 +0000 http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/nano-pico-femto-satellites.html#comment-630141 Gemmi, why was it a waste of time on my part? If potential readers enjoyed it...then how could it have been a waste of time. I don't get your point. Gemmi, why was it a waste of time on my part? If potential readers enjoyed it…then how could it have been a waste of time. I don’t get your point.

]]> By: Gemmi http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/nano-pico-femto-satellites.html/comment-page-1#comment-630138 Gemmi Wed, 13 May 2009 09:22:18 +0000 http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/nano-pico-femto-satellites.html#comment-630138 "... do you think that kind of post, the 40320 gameplay, is a waste of time or did you enjoy it? What do other readers think?.." I think it's a waste of time on your part rather than for a potential reader .. On small satellites, I find the push towards extra miniaturation a bit intriguing. Researchers seem to be going the other way round - first miniaturize and then look for a potential application. Even the bosses are not clear about the usefulness of going femto or even pico - http://www.space.com/spacenews/archive09/smallsat_0330.html . “… do you think that kind of post, the 40320 gameplay, is a waste of time or did you enjoy it? What do other readers think?..”

I think it’s a waste of time on your part rather than for a potential reader ..

On small satellites, I find the push towards extra miniaturation a bit intriguing. Researchers seem to be going the other way round – first miniaturize and then look for a potential application. Even the bosses are not clear about the usefulness of going femto or even pico – http://www.space.com/spacenews/archive09/smallsat_0330.html .

]]> By: David Bradley http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/nano-pico-femto-satellites.html/comment-page-1#comment-297271 David Bradley Wed, 16 Jan 2008 07:59:34 +0000 http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/nano-pico-femto-satellites.html#comment-297271 Dan, fair point, well made. Yes, these pico satellites are not really intended to replace earth weather or telecoms satellites. I think their main potential is being delivered as a swarm into a specific region of space, say orbit around another planet, by a larger carrier spacecraft for probing purposes. db Dan, fair point, well made. Yes, these pico satellites are not really intended to replace earth weather or telecoms satellites. I think their main potential is being delivered as a swarm into a specific region of space, say orbit around another planet, by a larger carrier spacecraft for probing purposes.

db

]]> By: Dan Kalin http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/nano-pico-femto-satellites.html/comment-page-1#comment-296549 Dan Kalin Tue, 15 Jan 2008 20:55:40 +0000 http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/nano-pico-femto-satellites.html#comment-296549 Pico satellites would appear to be useless when it comes to replacing the multi-ton (yes) geostationary telecommunications satellites, due to station-keeping and power issues. Much of the weight of the large satellites is concentrated in the solar arrays/battery subsystems and propellant. Most satellites of this type eventually run out of propellant, which really gates their useful life. The solar arrays degrade as well, but most times are still usable when the propellant runs out. I can see pico satellites having real value as "probes" with low life expectancy, but they won't have the longevity or transmission power to replace the 20 MW behemoths. Unless there is a new power source and RF beamforming technology that I completely missed in my reading. Pico satellites would appear to be useless when it comes to replacing the multi-ton (yes) geostationary telecommunications satellites, due to station-keeping and power issues. Much of the weight of the large satellites is concentrated in the solar arrays/battery subsystems and propellant. Most satellites of this type eventually run out of propellant, which really gates their useful life. The solar arrays degrade as well, but most times are still usable when the propellant runs out.

I can see pico satellites having real value as “probes” with low life expectancy, but they won’t have the longevity or transmission power to replace the 20 MW behemoths. Unless there is a new power source and RF beamforming technology that I completely missed in my reading.

]]> By: David Bradley http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/nano-pico-femto-satellites.html/comment-page-1#comment-293242 David Bradley Sat, 12 Jan 2008 15:16:50 +0000 http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/nano-pico-femto-satellites.html#comment-293242 Incidentally, Don, do you think that kind of post, the 40320 gameplay, is a waste of time or did you enjoy it? What do other readers think? Maybe I should run a poll... db Incidentally, Don, do you think that kind of post, the 40320 gameplay, is a waste of time or did you enjoy it? What do other readers think? Maybe I should run a poll…

db

]]> By: David Bradley http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/nano-pico-femto-satellites.html/comment-page-1#comment-293235 David Bradley Sat, 12 Jan 2008 15:12:11 +0000 http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/nano-pico-femto-satellites.html#comment-293235 Don, you're right, they are extremely arbitrary, I asked the researchers about that and it just seems to be the convention. As to "escape" velocity, yes well, spotted. Edited accordingly. db Don, you’re right, they are extremely arbitrary, I asked the researchers about that and it just seems to be the convention. As to “escape” velocity, yes well, spotted. Edited accordingly.

db

]]> By: Don http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/nano-pico-femto-satellites.html/comment-page-1#comment-292788 Don Sat, 12 Jan 2008 09:12:58 +0000 http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/nano-pico-femto-satellites.html#comment-292788 "NB the nano, pico and femto referred to here are arbitrary descriptors..." Actually, they are "... _extremely_ arbitrary descriptors"!!! I mean, skipping two orders of magnitude does seem only suitable for advertising reasons. More seriously, notwithstanding your "40320" gameplay, satellites are definitely NOT launched at escape velocity. Otherwise, they would... _escape_ and not orbit Earth! Cheers Don “NB the nano, pico and femto referred to here are arbitrary descriptors…”

Actually, they are “… _extremely_ arbitrary descriptors”!!!
I mean, skipping two orders of magnitude does seem only suitable for advertising reasons.

More seriously, notwithstanding your “40320″ gameplay, satellites are definitely NOT launched at escape velocity. Otherwise, they would… _escape_ and not orbit Earth!

Cheers

Don

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