The Technological Frontier

Jessie Atkin posted a blog up on Digital Landing about the latest internet upgrade, now for users in space!

Lets talk Disruption Tolerant Networking. I know, it sounds like any network, any plagued internet connections, but this is still something new.

DTN is basically space style internet. That’s space as in the cosmos. Information can now be transmitted from NASA to ships about 20 million miles away. The hitch is the delay. The connection is not continuous and data is often stalled and late, but hey, it’s still internet in deep space. And it does put any sluggish earth bound computers in perspective doesn’t it?

Goodnight Mars

Jessie Atkin posted a blog up on Digital Landing about the Phoenix Lander sent up by NASA.

After far more than the planned 90 days the Mars Phoenix Lander has seen it’s last martian sunrise.

After seeing everything from red dust to ice and snow . The lander has at last run out of its last drop of power and is now frozen on the red planet, just like the ice it dug up so many weeks ago. The Landers mission was successful for the most part, detecting water, observing weather, and doing a whole number of other experiments. A mission set to last only 90 days lasted nearly 60 more, and that’s a pretty big success as NASA missions go.

We’ve reached Mars by Phoenix, so when will we reach it with men?

Because 1 Ship isn’t Enough

Jessie Atkin posted a blog on Digital Landing about a new vacation spot, in outer space.

I’ve written about space tourism before but this new concept suborbital vehicle is a little different than designs we’ve seen previously.

It looks like a fish bowl. It’s just a concept ship right now but it’ll provide one hell of a view. Quite a leap from those singular port hole windows of yesteryear. Armadillo Aerospace plans to build a prototype in 2009 for a launch in 2010. It sure looks funny but I hope it all works out. Although, for an $100,000 trip price tag, the trip better be pretty incredible.