Why Space Matters: HEO Satellite Operations, Part 4–Moley, Moley, Moley, Molniya!

During the last lesson, you might have been enlightened with the information that even though the Soviets have used, and Russians do use, geosynchronous (GEO) orbits for satellites, they seem to have a special place in their vodka-filled hearts for the highly elliptical orbit (HEO). And that last lesson enumerates the reasons why they like it. For one particular […]

Spacesuits Through The Years

Special/extreme clothing supplier REI has nothing on spacesuits. Whether US, Soviet, Russian, or Chinese; whether used for space-walks, shuttle flights, capsules, or moon-walks; whether they looked like flight suits, robots, or Fat Tron, spacesuits are important to the people who wear them while working. Space.com has an excellent picture gallery of spacesuits from different spacefaring countries throughout the […]

Why Space Matters: HEO Satellite Operations, Part 3–What’s the Frequency, Komrade(th)?

The previous lesson left you hanging, maybe even perturbed, with the question of why anyone would want to use a satellite in a highly elliptical orbit (HEO). After all, a HEO satellite requires a ground station or two with a moveable (steerable) antenna to speak to it (or the satellite’s antenna has to be gimbaled […]

Photos of An Old Nuclear Missile Target

Mental Floss is always a fun read. But imagine my surprise when my spouse tells me there are pictures of old and rotting nuclear missiles and an old Soviet launch control center (or capsule) on their site. The Soviet capsule is shaped differently from the capsules I worked in while watching my Minuteman missiles. Current US […]

28 Years of Satellite Highlights

Please don’t blame me for the poster’s length. Sure, the above poster is an advertisement for Broadbandwherever, and it’s only for the first 28 years of satellite history, but it’s interesting and pretty nonetheless. It also shows the progression of capability endowed to each generation of satellites through the years. From the beeping Soviet Sputnik […]