Swarm Technology applied to the FCC to launch four of its new Spacebee satellites, but were turned down because the CubSats are so small (only about 4 inches in diameter) that they can’t be tracked by ground radar.
it appears that the firm went ahead anyway in January and put the tiny satellites into orbit by loading them aboard an Indian rocket. Now the FCC (who grants radio spectrum to communicate with satellites) has suspended the licensing process for the firm as Swarm seeks permission to put four more modified (so they can be tracked) Spacebees into orbit. More
This is the true beginning of the space age.
Small companies can now launch satellites without massive investments.
One major question is whether we need a lot of government regulation, or not.
Remember how the Internet launched with minimal government assistance, and has proven to be the game changer of the late 20th century.
Is space different? Can companies be trusted to fit within some set of rules without the government stepping in?
Or do citizens need protection from unscrupulous operators?
@Mr. Anth Ropy
Protection from unscrupulous governments would be the ideal. Unscrupulous operators, whether individuals or corporations are somewhat easier to deal with.
I think the big deal in space is that any object is going extremely fast and is a danger to every other object. I saw this movie once, called Gravity…
Yep. Just let one of them hull a space station or shuttle windshield…
The windshields of my cars can tell stories about small objects flying towards them.
we are at the beginning of the “rise of the corporation”. amazon will soon be the superpower of space. once they start putting up their own space stations and manned exploration flights, the game will change. earth governments are on notice. it will all shift to a space economy. science fiction stuff…
SPACE BEE’S … WE BRAKE FOR NO ONE!
Ludicrous Speed !!!!!
On a serious note…I think We’ll see the “Technology Crash”
in Our Lifetime…Hoard up.
The article went on to say that both the FAA and the FCC have some oversight role, but we really don’t have a federal regulator to make determinations about what’s put into space by private parties.
Besides, what’s to stop a firm from doing what Swarm did and simple launch and control the satellite from another nation?
can’t wait ’till the Muzzloids get ahold of this …
… how many billions did O’Breezie give to them?
Lemme guess. Filthy rich Bay area liberals think laws don’t apply to supporters of the treasonous gay Kenyan commie. Besides, Hillary’s gonna win. How’m I doing so far?
*tap*
Testing. Testing, one…two…testing…
Lest we forget.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mR-gz9EFO8
Dan, the movie Gravity is to space, as the movie Flight is to commercial aviation, or Speed II is to ships. I gotta stop watching movies – I get dumber with each one. That said, I will be so pissed if that chick hits a bunch of GPS satellites and I have to buy paper maps again.
Coat them in Silicone, with openings for tansmission ?
All fun and games until direct tv and Sirius go away suddenly….
CNN just got another excuse for satellite feed failure.
Space Bees?
Get a can of Black Flag.
A really big can.
Now all of a sudden were FOR big government?