Feds Want All-Seeing Eye in Sky: Is there anything cooler than spy satellites? I mean, I can’t even talk about spy satellites without looking over my shoulder to make sure the guy Jon Voight played in Enemy of the State isn’t about to take me out with a hypodermic to the neck.
“Space-based radar, or SBR, is Cambone’s preferred method for fulfilling these aims. America’s current imaging satellites can cover only thin slices of the Earth at any one time as the spacecraft pass overhead. A constellation of 10 to 24 SBR satellites, slated for 2012 or so, would cover almost the entire globe at once. Unlike the standard birds now in orbit, whose eyes are blocked by cloud and darkness, the SBR array would use weather-piercing synthetic aperture radar to look below without interruption. What’s more, the radar could track tanks, jeeps and planes, giving their locations to American bombers and fighter planes.”
When it comes down to it, spy satellites rank right up there with underwater robots on my scale of coolness. There’s really no conversation that can’t be made more interesting by mentioning spy satellites.
“Honey, what’s for dinner? Spy satellites? [dramatic pause; background music swells]”
Numbers station : A post over at Boing Boing reminded me of the phenomenon of numbers stations. Numbers stations are shortwave radio stations of uncertain origin that broadcast streams of numbers, words, or phonetic sounds. No one knows for sure where their signals originate or what purpose they serve. The voices…
CIA Museum Showcases Exotic Spy Gadgets. Spy satellites, anti-rocket laser cannons — you know the drill. Besides the jungle transmitter, the exhibits include a robotic catfish, a remote-controlled dragonfly and a camera strapped to the chests of pigeons and released over enemy targets in the 1970s. The secret gadgets currently…
Moving data to the mountain: This is just so cool; right up there with spy satellites and anti-rocket laser cannons. In response to the resulting surge in demand for safe and secure digital records storage, Iron Mountain earlier this year opened a 5,000-sq.-ft. data center inside its secret underground facility. The…
Wired News: A Peek Inside the Secret World: You know society is headed in the right direction when there's an International Spy Museum. How long before they get some spy satellites or the Anti-Rocket Laser Cannon? "Back before electronic communications were possible, spies shot secret messages into forts using bows…
Anti-rocket laser cannon gets funding: Forget spy satellites — my new favorite way to spice up a conversation is to just blurt out "anti-rocket laser cannon!!" at random intervals. "Israel and the U.S. are to spend at least $57 million for development of a laser cannon that can shoot down short-range…
This was the man. I'm gonna buy a spy satellite and plan to dominate the world with one of those jiggy's. Thanks!