Greg's View of Todays News - 02/12/2009

• Orbiting satellites collide in historical first > LIVENEWS.com.au

  Two communications satellites have collided in the first-ever crash of two intact spacecraft in orbit, NASA said on Wednesday.

  • However, any risk to the international space station, which orbits below the collision course, is thought to be low.
    
    There also should be no danger to the upcoming space shuttle flight, targeted for liftoff no earlier than February 22, "but they're continuing to analyse any possible risk," Humphries said.
    
    The collision involved an Iridium commercial satellite, which was launched in 1997, and a Russian satellite launched in 1993 and believed to be nonfunctioning. Each satellite weighed well over 450 kilograms.
  • 
    • You can't beat humanity for stuffing things up.
      
      Not satisfied with overpopulationg the earth, we now face the concept of overpopulating space - and that's a bloody site bigger than the earth.
      
      I wonder if you can insure against such accidents? ;) - post by gnaylor
    
    

• Wave power plan for SA's south-east - ABC News

  The South Australian Government says it wants to fast track regulations to make SA the nation's tidal energy capital.
  
  It has given permission to a Perth-based company to examine the south-east coast of SA as a potential site for a wave-driven power plant.

  • 
    • This is a technology whose time has come. What could be cleaner? What could be more inexhaustable? What means of electricity generation could be less damaging to the environment.
      
      And then, of course, the power generated could power a desalination plant. - post by gnaylor

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