Take your own pics from Space for $150

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09-15-2009, 07:48 PM

ArtieParty

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Take your own pics from Space for $150

The $150 Space Camera: MIT Students Beat NASA On Beer-Money Budget | Gadget Lab | Wired.com

How freaking cool is that? They took some things they had laying around and actually took pics from space for about $150 bux. How many millions does NASA waste?

(Article stolen from local miata club)

09-15-2009, 08:07 PM

naarleven

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Thats amazing.

So flipping sweet.

09-15-2009, 08:23 PM

RotorNutFD3S

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Pretty damn cool!

09-15-2009, 08:30 PM

buffon01

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Nice I hope they post the pictures.

09-15-2009, 09:15 PM

mafoose

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That's awesome!
I'm surprised the camera survived considering it fell for 40mins!

09-15-2009, 09:24 PM

ZX-Tex

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ArtieParty

How many millions does NASA waste?

Not the same thing, at all. Very cool, but not the same thing.

Favorite quote from the linked-to article's peanut gallery

Quote:

I’d also be pretty pissed off if a beer cooler fell from the heavens into my yard only to discover it was not, in fact, full of beer.

09-26-2009, 11:34 AM

fahrvergnugen

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ZX-Tex

Not the same thing, at all. Very cool, but not the same thing.

And why would it be any different? Granted, it's a camera in space, not man; but beyond that...?

09-26-2009, 11:44 AM

ARTech

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Because it's not a camera in space, it's a picture of space.

Still awesome.

09-26-2009, 11:40 PM

fahrvergnugen

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It -was- a camera in space (62 miles up). Did it stay there? No. Does it have to to be a camera in space? No. I get the point you are trying to make, but I don't think you get mine.

09-27-2009, 03:08 AM

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ZX-Tex

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It is like the X-Prize. Yes the Rutan (sp) team built a ship that went into space. BUT it was not in orbit; it essentially went straight up and straight back down again. This camera thing did not achieve orbit either. Nor was it in space. There was still atmosphere, otherwise the balloon would not have appreciable buoyancy.

There is a huge difference between floating a camera up on a weather balloon and putting even a small unmanned satellite in low earth orbit. One is much harder, which is why NASA missions have large budgets.