Comments | hubbletelescope: I've been thinking...

hubbletelescope

I've been thinking...

Mar 12, 2004 08:39

There's a scientist in Russia who has patented a way to put billboards in space. I'm sure most of you have seen the story. It's gotten me thinking, however. I wonder if I could stay up here longer if I managed to land some commercial endorsements. You know, The Hubble Telescope, Presented by Citibank. Or hell, go for the naming rights and ( Read more... )

Comments 18

wcg March 12 2004, 06:08:48 UTC

You're dreaming big fella. I happen to know you can't focus on anything as close as the Earth. And what's this "lens" business? You have a 94 inch primary mirror. The only lenses in you are tiny ones in the Fine Guidance Sensors.

The swoosh thing might work. It's clean and simple. But you don't want to go sticking labels all over your reflective blanketing. That'd make cooling a lot more complicated. Remember back when you had the GHRS, and it'd get up to 50 Celsius in there when the high voltage was on for a long time? Yeah, it could be like that again.

hubbletelescope March 12 2004, 06:20:41 UTC

I happen to know you can't focus on anything as close as the Earth.

You know that, and I know that, but the people that are watching the commercial won't necessarily know that.

But yeah, I do remember that I was seriously sweating those days. Maybe...maybe some kind of special reflective stickers. I dunno. Like I said, I'm just throwing out ideas, it'd be up to actual humans to make them work.

wcg March 12 2004, 06:48:41 UTC

As one of the actual humans who's managed some pretty impressive modifications on you in the past, I'll allow as how we could do it again, if we're allowed to. The big problem is that you were designed to be closely involved with the shuttles, and now they're not flying. (Come to think of it, did anybody tell you about Columbia? The Penguin burned up when one of her wings came off, back a little over a year ago. I know she never visited you. But still...)

Anyhow, it's great talking to you. This LJ thing beats the heck out of the PSTOL interface.

hubbletelescope March 12 2004, 07:26:16 UTC

Yeah, I heard about the old girl. I'd have wept had I tear ducts, both for her passengers and for the queen of the fleet herself. She was a grande dame, and I'm not sure I was entirely worthy to share the same orbital space as her. I've been trying to keep up on what all happened, and it didn't seem like a potential design flaw in the fleet, but then I know almost nothing about how reentry works, as I'm not designed to actually survive my trip back through the atmosphere. I watched MiR as it went down, and decided I'm not really looking forward to that.

I had noticed that it was only shuttles that I got to visit with. They were always so good to me, I'm going to miss them if the next mission to me really does get canned in spite of Sen. Mikulski's best efforts. Sure they could design another craft to come and visit me, but I know I'll have gone retrograde before any next gen shuttle could get designed, built, tested, and launched.

Thread 10

Dude! fuse_sat March 12 2004, 08:19:02 UTC

Hey cuz! How's it hanging? I caught your message over TDRSS and decided to check out this LJ thing.

(And hey, I'm really sorry about the Servicing Mission getting cancelled.)

So, fill me in, Who's worth checking out? SIRTIF was saying something about those Mars babes having journals.

Re: Dude! hubbletelescope March 12 2004, 08:38:21 UTC

Hey hey, fuze, what's up? Check out my friend's list, I think I've got all the rovers, probes, and various other NASA and JPL charges there, but the list just keeps growing, so lemme know if you find one I missed. I'm just waiting for SOHO to come along with a journal.

Re: Dude! daniele March 12 2004, 09:44:27 UTC

You are currently missing b3agle2. :)

Re: Dude! hubbletelescope March 12 2004, 09:50:24 UTC

Aha, thanks, musn't leave out the European Space Agency.

Thread 6

kightp March 12 2004, 08:58:08 UTC

Hey, if you're going for sponsors, maybe they could "brand" some of those incredible pictures you've been sending us.

I can see it now: The Keyhole Nebula, brought to you by Key Bank ... the Ring Nebula, sponsored by New Line Cinema ...

Heck, maybe PepsiCo or Time-Warner-WhoeverElseThey'veAssimilatedLately would like to slap their brand on one of those numerically designated galaxies.

The possibilities are endless. If you need a marketing rep, let me know ...

goes_sat March 12 2004, 13:35:25 UTC

That is such a coolio idea. I am all for people putting ads on me, but the NOAA peeps are almost bigger scrooges than the NASA peeps. I'm sure if I asked, they'd be all, "WHAT are you talking about, 10? Go back to watching Texas." You get to look at all kinds of cool stuff. I mean, sure the supercells and hurricanes and stuff are cool when they happen but the West coast has too nice of weather. Just popped in to say hi!

<3,
GOES-10 (West Coast Sassy Satellite!)