This article is more than 1 year old

Look out, world! Space Station satellite cannon has A MIND OF ITS OWN

Lonely rogue pipe spends evening prematurely ejecting its load

Vid A satellite launcher deployed on the International Space Station has surprised astronauts by firing off its payload without human intervention.

The CubeSat Deployer, manufactured by Texas firm NanoRacks, is designed to emit its miniature satellites on a strict schedule – but the spacemen noticed that the cannon appeared to be operational despite not having a human operating the mechanism.

Youtube Video

A subsequent investigation showed that the deployer had fired off two miniature satellites on September 3 without anyone noticing or ordering their deployment. The system has now been taken offline while checks are carried out.

"We're currently running a full fault checklist on the unit with NASA," a NanoRacks spokesman told The Register today. "It's an exhaustive list and we should have the problems identified shortly. In the meantime the deployed satellites are function as planned."

The firm is also taking the precaution of sending a new control box up to the space station for the satellite deployment system. In the meantime the astronauts are trying to fire off the current load of micro-satellites in the deployer as scheduled.

Planet Labs' Doves in their coop

Planet Labs' Doves in their coop

The two satellites in question are from San Francisco startup Planet Labs, which is planning to ring the planet with the tiny units. The satellites, which the firm calls Doves, circle the Earth every 90 minutes scanning the surface with cameras capable of seeing down to a three to five meter resolution. ®

More about

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like