Mars Online
The satellite industry began as science fiction, and visions of the future have always been an important part of it. With Earth so well-covered, visionaries are now looking to other planets. NASA has already committed itself to permanent communications satellites around Mars, and even more ambitious schemes exist on paper.
The Pathfinder Mars probe in 1998 produced one of the world's most popular Websites, as people logged on to see a live video feed from the Martian surface. Some companies have suggested that this interest could be exploited to fund future space missions, for example, by making people pay to interact with them. Using a specially built flight simulator or their own computer, a customer could drive a lunar rover or even pilot a starship by remote control.
Vinton Cerf, co-inventor of packet switching, is leading a project to develop what he calls an IPN (interplanetary network). He hopes to extend the Internet throughout the solar system so that it can be used to control future probes and some day allow space explorers to call home.
normal: WEB RESOURCESThe official site of the GPS satellite service pinpoints locations to within five meters and keeps time more accurately than Earth itself. http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/personal/L.wood/constellations/ This professional-looking amateur site contains detailed information about all types of communications satellites. Its archive of news about MSS is particularly interesting. http://www.tbs-satellite.com/tse/ A comprehensive encyclopedia of satellite communications, including information on every satellite ever launched is available on this site. A trial version is available for free download, in either HTML or Windows.hlp format. The Global VSAT Forum, made up of satellite manufacturers and operators details on its site the benefits of satellite services, and campaigns on issues such as regulation. |