Friday, February 03, 2006

As If Ham Radio Operators Don't Take Enough Abuse Already

Are you ready for the ultimate in nerdiness? The International Space Station has just jettisoned an old space suit into temporary orbit. Here's the nerdy part: in addition to stuffing it with trash, they put a radio beacon in it. Now amateur radio operators (ham radio geeks to the rest of us) can tune in to the death throes of the human-formed satellite, until it meets its bleating, firey death in its descent through the atmosphere.

If you feel a need to satisfy your inner nerd, keep this in mind:

Students and others can track the spacesuit's location via the SuitSat.org Web site as well as a NASA tracking site. The suit, which was stuffed with cast-off clothing as well as the electronic gear, is expected to pass once or twice a day over the United States, according to NASA.

Yes, it really is called "SuitSat."

You want to look. You know you do.



**Update**

After just a few hours, SuitSat has gone silent.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Nerds? Geeks? Hmmm... Well, anyhow, you can hear it on 145.990 on a scanner .... IF you were going to listen to it. A ham in Japan has already recorded hearing it on its first pass. This won't be news for long since it's going to burn up in the earth's atmosphere in a couple of days.