Satellite Back From The Dead

Satellite Back From The Dead 176

Posted by Hemos on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @01:33PM from the return-of-the-living-satellite dept.

Papa Legba writes "Just ran across this amazing story about an amateur satellite that has returned from the dead. AMSAT-OSCAR 7 was launched in 1974 for radio hobbyists to use. In 1981 the onboard batteries died and the satellite went silent. Then on June 21st 2002, 20 years later, a hobbyist testing some new equipment made an amazing discovery. AMSAT-OSCAR 7 is live once more, both broadcasting and accepting signals. The theory expounded is that the dead battery short that took the satellite offline has cleared and it is now only running on its solar cells. While this does restrict it to daytime use, it is amazing that it works at all. " This was in the science section before - but worth the front page.

Satellite Back From The Dead

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did anybody check (Score:5, Funny)

by Jedi Paramedic ( 587254 ) writes: on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @01:36PM (#3763712)

to see if it came back attached to a planet-sized ship like in STTMP?

Please, wait to signal it. (Score:5, Funny)

by Mr Guy ( 547690 ) writes: on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @01:37PM (#3763726) Journal

both broadcasting and accepting signals.

We don't want the first extraterrestrial slashdotting.

Is anyone else... (Score:2, Funny)

by meringuoid ( 568297 ) writes: on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @01:41PM (#3763749)

... having scary 'Event Horizon' flashbacks?
Just don't talk to this thing for too long. It might not be quite the same as it was before.

Foolish humans. (Score:2, Funny)

by SpanishInquisition ( 127269 ) writes: on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @01:41PM (#3763751) Homepage Journal

They don't know we are using their own satellite to relay strategic information to our rogue agents.
Invasion date set to July 1st.

P.S. Make sure mothership is upgraded with latest security patch, we don't want some nerd with an apple laptop to hack our shield system again.

wait a sec (Score:4, Funny)

by Jucius Maximus ( 229128 ) writes: on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @01:41PM (#3763753) Journal

This story looks suspiciously similar to a certain piece of spam I often see except in this case, the word 'penis' is replaced by 'satellite.'
And all this time I thought those herbal treatments they advertised were stupid scams!

Makes me wonder.... (Score:2, Funny)

by idfrsr ( 560314 ) writes: on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @01:43PM (#3763764)

Did the guy who contacted it chance upon the satelitte coming online or was he sending messages to it for 20 years and only now realized that it was offline?

Get A Clue! (Score:0, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @01:45PM (#3763779)

Everybody knows that aliens fixed it. Sheesh...

someone must hate the admins over there... (Score:5, Funny)

by Profe55or Booty ( 540761 ) writes: <gregNO@SPAMpcrash.cjb.net> on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @01:46PM (#3763789) Homepage

we just slashdotted them TWICE in 2 days. jesus christ. have some fucking compassion

Re:wait a sec (Score:5, Funny)

by Profe55or Booty ( 540761 ) writes: <gregNO@SPAMpcrash.cjb.net> on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @01:49PM (#3763806) Homepage

"Just ran across this amazing story about an amateur penis that has returned from the dead. AMSAT-OSCAR 7 was launched in 1974 for radio hobbyists to use. In 1981 the onboard batteries died and the penis went silent. Then on June 21st 2002, 20 years later, a hobbyist testing some new equipment made an amazing discovery. AMSAT-OSCAR 7 is live once more, both broadcasting and accepting signals. The theory expounded is that the dead battery short that took the penis offline has cleared and it is now only running on its solar cells. While this does restrict it to daytime use, it is amazing that it works at all. "

i don't know about you, but my amateur penis doesn't have onboard batteries.

Maybe an Alien turned it back on for us! (Score:2, Funny)

by Martin Marvinski ( 581860 ) writes: on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @01:52PM (#3763822)

LOL. I guess the SETI project may actually turn up something after all.

Re:wait a sec (Score:1, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @01:53PM (#3763832)

really? my wife's does...

Back from the DEAD.... (Score:1, Funny)

by ACK!! ( 10229 ) writes: on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @02:05PM (#3763893) Journal

Everyone muster their best Dr. Frankenstein voices and shout together....

It's Alive!!

It's Alive!!

________________________________________________ __ __

Re:Foolish humans. (Score:3, Funny)

by bsupak ( 519912 ) writes: on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @02:18PM (#3763969)

I don't remember seeing 'Alien Mothership' in the chooser :P B

Too bad it's not a Microsoft satellite (Score:4, Funny)

by multipartmixed ( 163409 ) writes: on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @02:24PM (#3764017) Homepage

..if that were the case, turning it off and on every day like that might actually make it work [i]better[/i].

Re:wait a sec (Score:3, Funny)

by grytpype ( 53367 ) writes: on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @02:24PM (#3764020) Homepage

You should upgrade to Penis Pro 2002. Its lithium batteries last 3 hours before a recharge (1 hour in Brazil).

Slashdotting a satellite (Score:5, Funny)

by borgasm ( 547139 ) writes: on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @02:25PM (#3764030) Journal

So, a 25+ year old satellite wakes from the dead, drifting out in the cold darkness of space.

I find it amazing that a hunk of metal orbiting our planet for longer than I have been alive still functions, yet a modern webserver with possibly more advanced components succombs to slashdotting in minutes.

Solution: Build webservers out of 1974 satellite components. (Although that large gap of 20 years downtime may pose a problem.)

Re:did anybody check (Score:4, Funny)

by Psion ( 2244 ) writes: on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @02:31PM (#3764089)

Either way, it might be smart to respond to it's signals -- we don't want it clearing away any carbon-based infestations.

First contact... (Score:5, Funny)

by Dirtside ( 91468 ) writes: on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @02:49PM (#3764213) Journal

It probably went something like this:

Radio technician: Sir! We're getting a signal from a satellite that's...
Commander: That's what, soldier?
Radio technician: *gulp* Well, sir, there's those stories about ghost satellites... I mean, we always thought they were just, you know, made up...
Commander: What the hell are you talking about, son? Spit it out!
Radio technician: I better just play the transmission for you, sir.
Satellite: BRRAIIINNNSSSS....
Radio technician: It's... it's a zombie satellite, sir. Undead.
Commander: (quietly) God help us all. (to technician) Get me the Pentagon!
Radio technician: Uh... sir... the phone lines are dead! (suddenly the power goes out)
Commander: Oh. My. God. (satellite bursts out of a closet and eats the commander)

Messages from Outer Space (Score:2, Funny)

by Whispers_in_the_dark ( 560817 ) writes: <rich@harkins.gmail@com> on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @03:04PM (#3764305)

If memory serves, isn't there a satellite that is, although dead, still orbiting Mars? Wouldn't it be funny if it decided to start chattering all of the sudden to get the SETI folks all hot 'n bothered? :)

Re:wait a sec (Score:4, Funny)

by tgd ( 2822 ) writes: on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @03:31PM (#3764467)

My girlfriends does.

Oh, wait...

In A.D. 2101 (Score:5, Funny)

by JudgeDredd ( 561957 ) writes: on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @04:04PM (#3764634) Journal

Captain: What happen ?
Mechanic: Somebody set up us the bomb.
Operator: We get signal.
Captain: What !
Operator: Main screen turn on.
Captain: It's You !!
Satellite: How are you gentlemen !!
Satellite: All your base are belong to us.
Satellite: You are on the way to destruction.
Captain: What you say !!
Satellite: You have no chance to survive make your time.
Satellite: HA HA HA HA ....
Captain: Take off every 'zig' !!
Captain: You know what you doing.
Captain: Move 'zig'.
Captain: For great justice.

Advanced math? Trig, calculus, orbital mechanics.. (Score:5, Funny)

by Alsee ( 515537 ) writes: on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @04:06PM (#3764641) Homepage

1974... Then on June 21st 2002, 20 years later

Subtraction.

-

Re:Slashdotting a satellite (Score:3, Funny)

by MAXOMENOS ( 9802 ) writes: <mike&mikesmithfororegon,com> on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @04:06PM (#3764643) Homepage

It might soon.

So... (Score:2, Funny)

by kitzilla ( 266382 ) writes: <paperfrogNO@SPAMgmail.com> on Tuesday June 25, 2002 @05:00PM (#3765022) Homepage Journal

...after 20 years, a lifeless entity coasting through the cold vacuum of space suddenly sputters to life.

There's hope for my marriage, after all.

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Satellite Back From The Dead 176

Satellite Back From The Dead More Login

Satellite Back From The Dead

did anybody check (Score:5, Funny)

Please, wait to signal it. (Score:5, Funny)

Is anyone else... (Score:2, Funny)

Foolish humans. (Score:2, Funny)

wait a sec (Score:4, Funny)

Makes me wonder.... (Score:2, Funny)

Get A Clue! (Score:0, Funny)

someone must hate the admins over there... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:wait a sec (Score:5, Funny)

Maybe an Alien turned it back on for us! (Score:2, Funny)

Re:wait a sec (Score:1, Funny)

Back from the DEAD.... (Score:1, Funny)

Re:Foolish humans. (Score:3, Funny)

Too bad it's not a Microsoft satellite (Score:4, Funny)

Re:wait a sec (Score:3, Funny)

Slashdotting a satellite (Score:5, Funny)

Re:did anybody check (Score:4, Funny)

First contact... (Score:5, Funny)

Messages from Outer Space (Score:2, Funny)

Re:wait a sec (Score:4, Funny)

In A.D. 2101 (Score:5, Funny)

Advanced math? Trig, calculus, orbital mechanics.. (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Slashdotting a satellite (Score:3, Funny)

So... (Score:2, Funny)

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