The Droids Are Coming

Aghasett

11-07-2006 18:03:15

Kewl B)

NASA to use Space Age 'droid' satellites

WASHINGTON, July 11 (UPI) -- NASA scientists say they are ready to test "smart" satellites that can fly in precision formation and are relatively inexpensive to make and operate.

David Miller, director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Space Systems Laboratory, says such satellites might be used for such tasks as building giant space telescopes and closely monitoring Earth.

The shuttle Discovery last week delivered the second of three satellite test "droids" that are undergoing experiments at the International Space Station.

"I rented the first 'Star Wars' movie and showed (a) class the scene where Luke is practicing the use of the Force with a floating droid," Miller told the Christian Science Monitor. "I said: 'I want three of those. How do we start doing this?'"

The results came in the form of 9-pound spheres the size of bowling balls, each crammed with computers, sensors and thrusters that allow the satellites to maneuver individually and en masse with precision.

A third satellite is to arrive at the ISS in December.

The project is funded by NASA and the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

Wes Biriuk

11-07-2006 23:46:31

Awesome... I want one.

Arcadian

12-07-2006 18:04:09

Hey that sounds cool to me

Wes Biriuk

14-07-2006 10:41:14

Super cool...

It would be awesome to have a little droid that you could send to taser someone...

Arcadian

14-07-2006 13:41:29

LOL yeah that would be pro, some one pisses you off and you Taser them :P

Ylith Pandemonium

18-07-2006 03:50:21

nice...finally some new cool stuff coming from Nasa