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posted by chromas on Tuesday August 14 2018, @05:12AM   Printer-friendly
from the Sleep-100 dept.

Submitted via IRC for SoyCow1984

Vice President Mike Pence laid out plans for the US Space Force on Thursday, calling out an advanced type of satellite, GPS III, that is apparently resistant to tampering. According to Bloomberg, however, this specific orbital machinery has been delayed for the last four years, and the launch date has slipped yet again.

Bloomberg reports that the launch, originally scheduled for April of this year and delayed to October, will now happen in December. The Air Force confirmed to the site that the delay will accommodate "qualification testing" and a validation of SpaceX's Falcon 9 Block 5, the rocket that will boost the satellite into orbit.

Source: https://www.engadget.com/2018/08/10/gps-satellite-space-force-delayed-again/


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  • (Score: 3, Informative) by captain normal on Tuesday August 14 2018, @05:32AM (3 children)

    by captain normal (2205) on Tuesday August 14 2018, @05:32AM (#721250)

    "..apparently resistant to tampering." Did they get Apple to come up with the control program? Or is Mike Pence really as stupid as he sounds?

    --
    When life isn't going right, go left.
    • (Score: -1, Spam) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 14 2018, @06:05AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 14 2018, @06:05AM (#721253)

      It was a quiet little town, one in which everyone knew everyone else. The neighbor, having instantly recognized Glabert, waved; Glabert waved back, and then continued his journey down the sidewalk. An odd dragging sound could be heard coming from behind the man. Upon close inspection, one would notice the source.

      Glabert was wearing thick gloves and his left hand was balled up into a fist; this must have been to prevent the barbed wire he had wrapped around his hand from coming loose. If an observer were to look for the other end of the wire, they would see that it was firmly wrapped around an object behind Glabert. That object was a little girl.

      The naked girl was being dragged face-first along the cement sidewalk. You see, Glabert had already finished violating and tormenting her, and so he had decided to take her for a walk out of the goodness of his heart. Naturally, the barbed wire wrapped around the child's neck was for her own safety; otherwise, she might wander off and enter a dangerous area. It was then that Glabert noticed that the girl had fallen silent.

      He snorted. "Looks like another one broke," the man mumbled to himself. Glabert, being all too aware of the fragility of children, found this to be an utterly mundane event. But, then, the man had a horrible realization. She had been the last one.

      There was no more children in this dumpy little town; he had expended every last one of them at an unsustainable rate. The man remained silent for several seconds, sweating like mad. Then, he screamed. He screamed, he kicked, he swore, and he slammed. Glabert took all of his anger out on the little girl's wretched corpse. How dare she be so fragile! How dare she be the last one! How dare she! However, the terrible reality did not change. It was the worst mental breakdown of his life, and had he not realized another important fact, he would surely have succumbed to despair. It was all too simple.

      There was a whole world out there; a world filled with delicacies. Yes, he had no need to stay in this town! He could explore the world and "sample" all of its yummy little children. Glabert's despair had been instantly replaced with confidence and hope for the future. The brave man rose up, and then set out on an adventure that could rival those of the greatest heroes. And he did so while wearing a smile on his face. Oh, what a terrifying, violent smile it was...

      Several years later, a new word would be added to all of the world's dictionaries. Children who were brutally beaten, tortured, violated, and then killed were said to be "glaberted."

    • (Score: 2) by driverless on Tuesday August 14 2018, @10:18AM (1 child)

      by driverless (4770) on Tuesday August 14 2018, @10:18AM (#721310)

      calling out an advanced type of satellite, GPS III, that is apparently resistant to tampering

      So is Pence worried about Daleks, Klingons, the Borg, or the Greys from tampering with a satellite that's located in outer space?

      Alternatively, is this something some defence contractor sold to Trump on the basis that while it'd normally cost $500M a piece, for a mere $800M he can get one that's totally immune to tampering[*], the bestest, the greatest, the most amazing satellite ever, you'll love it, it's great.

      [*] While located 20,000km away from anyone wanting to tamper with it.

      • (Score: 2) by MostCynical on Tuesday August 14 2018, @11:21AM

        by MostCynical (2589) on Tuesday August 14 2018, @11:21AM (#721326) Journal

        No no no..
        They have extra protection against attacks in Space [wikipedia.org]

        --
        "I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
  • (Score: 4, Informative) by takyon on Tuesday August 14 2018, @08:01AM (3 children)

    by takyon (881) <reversethis-{gro ... s} {ta} {noykat}> on Tuesday August 14 2018, @08:01AM (#721274) Journal

    GPS Satellite Essential to Space Force

    *Essential to the Air Force Space Command, you know, the thing that actually exists and would just get its name changed to Space Force:

    https://www.afspc.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/1012634/global-positioning-system/ [af.mil]

    The Global Positioning System is a constellation of orbiting satellites that provides navigation data to military and civilian users all over the world. The system is operated and controlled by the 50th Space Wing, located at Schriever Air Force Base, Colo.

    --
    [SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
    • (Score: 2, Insightful) by anubi on Tuesday August 14 2018, @09:52AM (2 children)

      by anubi (2828) on Tuesday August 14 2018, @09:52AM (#721304) Journal

      I wonder too how much delay is really trying to re-learn how to do it after many years of stagnation and laying off of the people who actually did this kind of thing forty years ago?

      Since the collapse of the Soviet Union 30 or so years ago, we haven't had much of a need for cutting edge technology in this country... when we can buy it. We concentrate on more profitable things... like Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate.

       

      --
      "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
      • (Score: 2) by MostCynical on Tuesday August 14 2018, @11:33AM (1 child)

        by MostCynical (2589) on Tuesday August 14 2018, @11:33AM (#721328) Journal

        https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=50th_Space_Wing [wikipedia.org]

        Wîkipedia says they have 5600 personnel, including contractors.
        They can't all be MBAs.

        --
        "I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
        • (Score: 3, Informative) by Freeman on Tuesday August 14 2018, @02:58PM

          by Freeman (732) on Tuesday August 14 2018, @02:58PM (#721389) Journal

          They can't all be MBAs.

          I think there's not enough cynicism in your post.

          --
          Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
  • (Score: 3, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 14 2018, @12:08PM (3 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 14 2018, @12:08PM (#721331)

    Is adding the 6th side to the Pentagon.

    • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday August 14 2018, @06:24PM (1 child)

      by bob_super (1357) on Tuesday August 14 2018, @06:24PM (#721468)

      It makes sense from a PR perspective. The 5-pointed star is associated with the Devil/Demons, and the root of a few conspiracy theories.
      The 6-pointed star is The Good Guys.

      The French might get confused if something else than their country gets regularly called the Hexagon, but since it's the most powerful military of its time, there's clear precedent about what to do.

      • (Score: 2) by arslan on Wednesday August 15 2018, @03:16AM

        by arslan (3462) on Wednesday August 15 2018, @03:16AM (#721661)

        Just to complete our pointed star chart.

        The 4-pointed star is associated with Ninjas who are neither good or bad but can also be good or bad.

    • (Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Wednesday August 15 2018, @09:24PM

      by realDonaldTrump (6614) on Wednesday August 15 2018, @09:24PM (#721923) Homepage Journal

      Space Force all the way! Separate but equal!

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