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NASA Space Science Technology

NASA and CSA Begin Testing Satellite Refueling On the ISS 65

Posted by samzenpus from the trying-it-out dept.
Zothecula writes "NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) have begun practicing satellite refueling in space on a test bed outside the International Space Station (ISS). In a series of tests that started on January 14 and are scheduled to continue until the 25th, the two space agencies are using the Robotic Refueling Module (RRM) and Canada's Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or Dextre, robot to carry out simulated refueling operations. The purpose of these tests is to develop refueling methods aimed at extending the life of satellites and reducing the amount of space debris orbiting the Earth."
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NASA and CSA Begin Testing Satellite Refueling On the ISS More

NASA and CSA Begin Testing Satellite Refueling On the ISS

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  • Outside the ISS seems like the last place you'd want to practice refueling.

  • Space exploration's rapid advancement is only made more viable if we give up this hokey notion of manned flights. Sure, one day suspended animation will be more of a scientific certainty, but these bots can explore and make ready for human exploration a host of off-planet locations.

  • Design a replacement satellite with a bigger gas tank.

  • big deal (Score:5, Funny)

    by PopeRatzo ( 965947 ) on Wednesday January 23, 2013 @08:59PM (#42676543) Journal

    Let me know when I can refuel my Mazda without pulling off the road.

    That would be so badass, if there were like these rolling tankers, with the special hose and fittings so you could just drive up next to one, right, like the fighter planes do, and then refuel and just keep rolling.

    I'd never stop, except to pee and get more cans of pringles and 2 litre bottles of Coke. Hell, if I had enough empty pringle cans and 2 litre bottles of Coke, I wouldn't have to even stop to pee! And if you lived on pringles and coke you wouldn't have to do anything BUT pee, so you'd have that going for you.

    Damn, I love the future...

    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by Anonymous Coward

      You can do it today.

      But I suggest a catheter instead. Either that or get an RV with cruise control.

    • My kingdom, my kingdom for some mod points (Score:5, Insightful)

      by SuperBanana ( 662181 ) on Wednesday January 23, 2013 @09:29PM (#42676761)
      I get pretty ambivalent about moderating; I get mod points and half the time they expire or go unused. I'm sincerely pissed I have no mod points right now for you. And not just because some other jackhole moderator modded your +1 funny *down*. Whatever happened to metamoderation? I feel like I haven't seen links in a while for it.

    • Dude, if you're refuelling on the go, surely the tanker could also sport a chute for dropping more pringles and coke through the side window*?

      *) I'd suggest opening the window first though.

      • Genius. The next step is fitting a Coke tank and a hose to feed it to you. Maybe even some pre-chewing of the pringles... Then you wouldn't even need to open the window, there'd be a similar hookup to the fuel tank.

    • If you lived on nothing but pringles and coke you would be pissing out of your ass.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by ediron2 ( 246908 )

        Already been done -- Anyone remember that 'olestra' stuff? Inverted-molecule fat for fat-free pringles? Stuff died a dismal market death when word came out that it tended to cause 'rectal leakage'. Or, as Dave Barry said: "Warning! BUTT DRAINO!"

        • I LOVED that warning. Anyone who eats something that says "May cause anal leakage" deserves what they get coming.

    • You forgot the windshield washing service.

      BTW do Pringle cans hold liquids? The necks of Coke bottles are way too small for me. Well, whatever works for you.

      • The necks of Coke bottles are way too small for me.

        You and your unreasonably large penis are about to find yourself with a bit of a problem.

  • Oh thank god... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Jhon ( 241832 ) on Wednesday January 23, 2013 @09:09PM (#42676625) Homepage Journal

    CSA is the Canadian Space agency! I thought I took a nap and woke in a Turtledove-esq alternate universe where the south won the civil war and were in space!

    • CSA is the Canadian Space agency! I thought I took a nap and woke in a Turtledove-esq alternate universe where the south won the civil war and were in space!

      My first reaction was something like "Oh. The Canadians have a space agency?"

      Have they launched anything? What have they done? I ask this without intending any disrespect -- but if they've got some accomplishments under their belt then they need a better PR machine.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by rossdee ( 243626 )

      I first thought it was the Confederates too. If they had won, they would have the launching site at the Cape, and the North would be at a disadvantage.

      However JFK wouldn't have been shot so he might have continued the exploration of space.

      • I first thought it was the Confederates too. If they had won, they would have the launching site at the Cape, and the North would be at a disadvantage.

        However JFK wouldn't have been shot so he might have continued the exploration of space.

        Of course not. He would have been just another yankee journalist, and would never have made it into the Montgomery political scene.

  • People complain the electric car takes 8 hours to charge. This thing takes a week to remove the fuel cap!

  • ... they have worked the bugs out of refueling in space since they tried it in Armageddon.

  • There will be no escaping Exxon-Mobil!!!

  • International Shell Station?

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