Tagged: satellites

Featured image: The invention of the geostationary communications satellite

The invention of the geostationary communications satellite - Out of Space

Duncan Steel • Jan 18, 2019 •

The idea of satellites beaming radio communications around the globe was discussed by science-fiction author Arthur C. Clarke in 1945, though he imagined huge geostationary space stations permanently staffed by astronauts who would be needed to change the electronic valves in the onboard radio transmitters. We’ve not been able to watch live cricket matches from around the globe on … Read More

Featured image: Satellite Orbits: Geostationary

Satellite Orbits: Geostationary - Out of Space

Duncan Steel • Jan 16, 2019 •

What sorts of orbits around Earth do we use for different types of satellite, and why are those paths chosen? In this, Part 1 in a series of blog posts, geostationary orbits are described. Satellites come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, ranging from half the size of a bus down to something not much … Read More

Featured image: Space War and NZ’s Position

Space War and NZ’s Position - Out of Space

Duncan Steel • Jan 09, 2019 •

With regard to tracking military satellites newly-launched from eastern Asia and potentially of concern to our allies, New Zealand’s geographical position is of huge (yet overlooked) significance.   Surely no-one could imagine that space-wise there is not a lot going on at present, with another probe just landed on Mars, three other spacecraft missions having encounters with asteroids, and … Read More

Featured image: With China’s space station about to crash land, who’s responsible if you get hit by space junk?

With China’s space station about to crash land, who’s responsible if you get hit by space junk? - Guest Work

Guest Author • Mar 29, 2018 •

Melissa de Zwart, University of Adelaide This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. The defunct Chinese space station Tiangong-1 is falling back to Earth and about to crash land some time over the next few days. Most experts expect much of it to burn up as it enters the atmosphere, … Read More

Featured image: Consenting and rocket science

Consenting and rocket science - The Dismal Science

Eric Crampton • Nov 24, 2015 •

Looks like Christchurch has lost its shot at a space-port. Rocket Lab is moving its proposed launch facility from Birdlings Flat out to the Mahia Peninsula. They’ve cited slow Christchurch resource consenting as one of the reasons. Auckland-based Rocket Lab said its decision was partly due to the time it was taking to get the necessary resource consent from Christchurch … Read More

Featured image: Kiwi rocket scientist gets rare NASA honour

Kiwi rocket scientist gets rare NASA honour - Griffin's Gadgets

Peter Griffin • Oct 13, 2015 •

His name adorns medals, roads and even a mountain. Now NASA has paid Kiwi rocket scientist, the late Sir William Pickering, a significant tribute, dedicating an auditorium at its iconic Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pickering’s name. In July a ceremony at JPL in Pasadena including staff, dignitaries, former JPL directors and Sir William’s daughter, Beth Pickering Mezitt, celebrated the naming of … Read More

TOSP Episode 3: September 26th 2011 - misc.ience

Aimee Whitcroft • Sep 26, 2011 •

[Original post on the Sciblogs The Official Sciblogs Podcast site] UPDATE: Youtube vids now up (and at bottom of post) Including fallen angels satellites, post-doc jobs in NZ, Foldit, HIV, nanotubes, Chinese space programme, neutrinos, intuition, suing geologists, Otzi, poetry.  And a bunch of other stuff! This week’s episode is a little longer than usual. [...] … Read More