Satellite Celebrates 20 Years Working in Orbit 199
lloydwood writes "The UoSAT-2/UO-11 small satellite was launched into low Earth orbit on 1 March 1984 from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Twenty years later, it's still in orbit and operational -- and we recently found launch footage. To celebrate the twentieth anniversary of starting in orbit, the original video celebrating the UoSAT-2 launch is available (in windows media and mpeg). Thrill to the computers, the clothes, and the haircuts of 1984. SSTL has launched more than twenty satellites since."
Bad press (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:So... (Score:0, Insightful)
Pretty amazing.. (Score:5, Insightful)
20 years of operation in the harsh environment of space gets my applause.
Comment removed (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Pretty amazing.. (Score:3, Insightful)
The batteries have probably gone, but the fact that the rest of it is still operating is amazing.
I notice it has a CCD camera but I've been unable to find any pictures. Does anyone know if it is operational?
Re:Bad press (Score:5, Insightful)
Still, I think it's pretty sad that computers are even more frail than we humans are. For ages most of what we built outlasted us; now the tables have turned.
Re:Oldest working Satellite is 30 years (Score:3, Insightful)
Pay attention, there's going to be a test.