ISS Can Now Watch Sea Traffic From Space

gyrogeerloose writes "During its last mission, astronauts from the Space Shuttle Atlantis installed an Automatic Identification System antenna on the outside of the International Space Station that will allow astronauts aboard the ISS to monitor signals from the AIS transmitters mandated to be installed on most large ocean-going craft. Although these VHF signals can be monitored from the Earth's surface, their horizontal range is generally limited to about 75 km (46 mi), leaving large areas of the ocean unwatched. However, the signals easily reach the 400 km (250 mi) orbit of the ISS. The European Space Agency sees this experiment as a test platform for a future AIS-monitoring fleet of satellites that will eventually provide worldwide coverage of sea traffic."

Re:Innocuous Uses

[lepidosteus]

Yes, because pirates always follow regulation and install a AIS transmitters in their "large ocean-going craft"

Re:Coverage map

[Anonymous Coward]

But with some well-placed space-based antennas, it could become a bit of a safety system too.

Re:Innocuous Uses

[causality]

Yes, because pirates always follow regulation and install a AIS transmitters in their "large ocean-going craft"

For all of the same reasons that criminals who are willing to commit murder will always follow gun-control laws. Oh, wait...

Re:Innocuous Uses

[eln]

You're absolutely correct that the mujahedeen (or however you spell that) in Afghanistan were bankrolled and given weapons by the CIA, and bin Laden's contacts within that organization became al Qaeda, and so the West definitely deserves some blame for that. However, there's no particular reason to believe that the CIA had any ongoing interest in any of them once the Soviets pulled out of Afghanistan. There's certainly no evidence and no reason to believe that they actually helped plan or carry out 9/11.

The major problem with the idea that the US government had anything to do with 9/11 is that there's no credible evidence of it and there's no reason to believe their assistance would have been required to carry it out. At the heart of it, the 9/11 attack was supremely unsophisticated. All the hijackers needed was some box cutters and plane tickets, and training to fly a plane. All of these things are widely available, and anybody could have done it. The fact is, it's quite easy to believe some dude in a cave could have planned and carried it out, especially when that dude in a cave happens to be as wealthy as Osama bin Laden, heir to the bin Laden construction fortune.

I know none of that is convincing to conspiracy buffs, but the fact is a perfectly simple and plausible explanation for the event exists that requires no massive conspiracies: a highly motivated group of people did something that anyone could have done with a little time and a few thousand dollars.

Re:Why ISS?

[TooMuchToDo]

They we're going there anyway? In essence, they *are* just piggybacking on a bigger launch (the shuttle's primary mission). Your only cost is the EVA time, cost of the device/antenna, and the additional weight for launch.

Re:Innocuous Uses

[Anonymous Coward]

Let me translate "Source?" for you, Winkhorst.

It means "I don't believe a word of your crap, back it up with evidence, or shut up".

Get it? Its a challenge.