Monthly Archives: October 2019

Structures like the International Space Station are too big and heavy to be built on Earth and then launched into Earth as one piece. Instead, the ISS was assembled in space like a giant Lego set, using large modules that were delivered via multiple rocket launches over a 12-year period. Thats tough enough when youre dealing with a structure designed to float in Earth orbit. But how about when space exploration takes the next step and humanity wants to build complex constructions further afield, such as on Mars?

Thats where a new MIT project comes into play. Epitomizing the mantra teamwork makes the dream work, it showcases a system of tiny collaborative robots nicknamed relative robots which could one day work together to build high-performance structures, ranging from airplanes to houses to space settlements.

The V-shaped robots, called Bipedal Isotropic Lattice Locomoting Explorers (or BILL-E), resemble miniature arms. Moving like inchworms, they can piece together small three-dimensional modular pieces, called voxels, into larger structures. In the same way that an image of any complexity can be reproduced on-screen using simple square pixels, the idea of BILL-Es creators is that the robots could achieve the same in the three-dimensional world. Each voxel can be picked up and placed in position by the robots, then connected using a special latching system that is part of each building unit.

Our robots can build structures bigger and more precise than themselves, Benjamin Jenett, one of the main researchers on the project, told Digital Trends. There is no ramp up in cost for infrastructure beyond making the individual voxel components and simple robots. In this sense, geometric complexity comes at little to no cost. Relative robotic assembly uses a simple, repeatable procedure to produce high-performance structures on-demand, where single assembly is final assembly.

Theres no doubt that MITs voxel-building BILL-E robots are exciting. But perhaps the most exciting aspect of them is what they suggest about the next frontier for robots. For more than half a century, at least since SRI International researchers build the first general-purpose mobile robot, engineers have been rightfully excited about the possibility of using robots.

Today, robots are being used in a breadth of applications. The people who build them promise that they will be able to carry out the dull, dirty, dangerous, and high-dollar jobs that humans are less suited for. But while one robot may be useful, its increasingly teams of robots that offer a glimpse at where they may be at their most valuable. Evidence of where teams of machines can triumph is evident at all different scales. There are small robots like the relative robots developed by MIT. However, those same principles of collaboration apply to larger robots, too.

Last year, Boston Dynamics released a short video in which two of SpotMini robots worked together to achieve a common goal: opening an office door. That is a constrained, simplified illustration of collaboration, but it nonetheless showcases how multiple machines can work together to carry out tasks that would have been far more difficult, or even impossible, on their own.

There are a wide variety of problems that such collaborative robots promise to solve. In some cases, its avoiding or removing obstacles, such as in the case of the door-opening SpotMinis. In others, it might be exploring large areas using multiple robots each tracking their own individual paths, but coordinated so as to cover a wide area without stepping on each others toes. This can be useful for things like mapping. It can also allow robots to improve their abilities, by learning through trial and error and then conveying this information to the others in the party; allowing all involved to grow smarter at a faster rate.

Examples of team-based collaborative robots are everywhere. At Columbia University in New York, Professor Hod Lipson and his team have developed a swarm of disc-shaped robots that can connect together to form a variety of different form factors. For instance, if it needs to move through a gap, the robots can rearrange themselves into a shape that lets them travel through it, before reassembling as a wider structure on the other side.

Meanwhile, as part of NASAs Innovative Advanced Concepts program, the renowned space agency is working on a project revolving around a group of robots called cobots. These cobots can work as a team to explore areas such as caves but also work together to make possible new types of locomotion. One day, NASA hopes they could be used to explore other planets.

These approaches are incredibly exciting. However, in both examples, the robots being employed are identical to one another. That does not have to be the case. In fact, in many scenarios, it might be more helpful if teams of robots were made up of robots with broadly different skills. You know, like efficient teams of humans.

Consider, for instance, cooperative robot teams working together in a search and rescue mission following a natural disaster. This is something that is already being actively explored due to the danger inherent in sending in human rescuers. But while having multiple units of the same robot could undoubtedly be useful in certain rescue environments, being able to bring together robots with different skill sets could prove even more valuable.

Imagine using a scout-type robot with advanced optics capabilities in combination with a heavier robot thats there to move rubble out of the way or bringing food and water to victims. This ability to use multiple types of robots together is something currently being explored in DARPAs Subterranean Grand Challenge. Entrants in the contest must develop autonomous robots to explore underground environments. Rather than being limited to one type of robot, though, they can build tag teams comprising multiple types of machines, ranging from four-legged canine-inspired bots to flying drones.

As anyone who has ever worked in a team will know, of course, leadership is a big question when it comes to dictating goals. When it comes to robots, this is no less a concern and there are multiple possible answers.

We employ a centralized, as opposed to distributed, control architecture, Benjamin Jenett, a researcher on the BILL-E project, said. This means that a single entity, in this case a laptop, computes [the entire] build sequence and robot path-planning, and sends commands wirelessly to the mobile robots. Robots then execute this path which consists of a small set of prescribed motions step, turn, pick up, place with a finite amount of sensing for feedback.

Getting multiple robots to talk to one another is a massively complex problem, requiring plenty of advance planning.

Jenett notes that this kind of centralized control architecture can achieve optimal results more easily since everything is programmed ahead of time. In this case, the single entity he refers to is like the project manager on a building site: planning everything in advance and making sure that every member of the team knows what they are supposed to be doing. However, its not a perfect solution as it makes it vulnerable to a single point of failure. As a result, Jenett said that the team is looking into distributed control systems for the future.

This requires more autonomy from the robots, [meaning] sensing and decision making, he said. But we feel that our hardware can easily be modified to incorporate these changes in the coming phases of this work.

This challenge will continue in the years to come. Getting multiple robots to talk to one another is a massively complex problem, requiring plenty of advance planning. However, advances in swarm intelligence will also allow robots to function together in certain applications with distributed forms of intelligence. Like a flock of birds, where each bird is responding to its nearest neighbors but no bird is leading the flock, this has enormous potential. Especially when it comes to improvising strategies.

Right now, were still at the start of this particular journey. Like collaborations between humans and robots in the workplace, collaborative teams of robots remain largely the province of research labs. But it wont stay that way.

As demonstrated by everything from Starship Technologies delivery robots to ANYbotics ANYmal oil rig-inspecting robots, robots are becoming a part of everyday life. And where, right now, companies are employing one or two robots to carry out tasks, that number is bound to grow.

So theyd better start getting along for all our sakes.

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Team machines: Why the next revolution in robotics is collaboration - Digital Trends

Astronauts on the International Space Station will soon test an Israeli antiradiation vest.

A prototype of the AstroRad vest by Tel Aviv-based StemRad is part of 4,600 pounds of science experiments to be delivered to the station in early November aboard a Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft.

Aeronautics and space engineering student Dana Vaisler modeling the AstroVest. Photo by Ran Yehezkel courtesy of StemRad

Designed to protect bone marrow and sensitive organs against deep space radiation, the thermoplastic vest is made of high-density polyethylene.

Women in the International Space Station will try out a prototype of the vest tailored for protecting breasts and ovaries in addition to bone marrow, lungs, stomach and colon. They will report back on its fit, form and function.

Next year, a mannequin will wear the AstroRad vest aboard an unmanned test of the Orion space command module intended later to carry four astronauts to the moons orbit. Scientists want to determine how well it can shield human organs compared to a test dummy without the vest.

This evaluation together with radiation protection data obtained from the AstroRad experiment on Orion Exploration Mission-1 will provide NASA with all the necessary information for assessing the AstroRad as essential personal protective equipment for future manned deep space missions such as Orion EM-2 and any future missions to Mars, said Israels Science and Technology Ministry.

Last July, NASA invited StemRad to demonstrate the AstroRad vest at a Washington event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing.

Over the past 19 years, more than 2,900 investigations have been conducted aboard the International Space Station by nearly 4,000 investigators representing 108 countries.

Continue reading here:
Israeli antiradiation vest to be tested in outer space - ISRAEL21c

WednesdayOct30,2019at2:01AM

GOSHEN NASA astronaut Jeffrey Williams, a retired U.S. Army Colonel, will headline this years Orange County Leadership Prayer Breakfast on Nov. 13 at Anthonys Pier 9 in New Windsor.

Williams was selected for the NASA Astronaut Class of 1996. In addition to his space flights, he has performed various technical duties in both the space shuttle and International Space Station Programs. In July 2002, Williams commanded a nine-day coral reef expedition operating from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Aquarius undersea habitat off the coast of Florida.

Williams has also served on the space station backup flight crews for Expeditions 12, 19, 20, as well as the backup for astronaut Scott Kellys one-year flight spanning Expeditions 43 through 46. Williams has logged more than 534 days in space, including nearly 32 hours in five spacewalks, and a total of more than 3,100 hours in more than 50 different aircraft. During his six months aboard the International Space Station in 2006, Williams orbited the earth more than 2,800 times and took more photographs of earth than any astronaut in history. He has had two books published with his work.

The event is wholly underwritten by sponsors and is not a fundraiser. Sponsors of the event will receive five (5) seats at the breakfast for a tax-deductible donation of $300. The Orange County Leadership Prayer Breakfast committee will use the remaining seats at the table to invite elected and appointed Orange County municipal officials, community and business leaders, and the public. All sponsors will be publicized at the door and at the tables.

If you would like to sponsor this event, send an e-mail requesting a registration form to prayerbreakfastoc@gmail.com or call 393-4805. Orange County Leadership Prayer Breakfast is a 501(c)(3).

This event is being held at no cost to county taxpayers.

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Astronaut will be featured speaker at County Prayer Breakfast - Times Herald-Record

NEW YORK CITY SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell outlined plans for its two development programs at a recent investor conference, giving her forecast for when the company will fly people on its next-generation rocket and begin offering internet from its satellite network.

The company has raised more than $1.3 billion this year to build both Starship, the massive rocket it wants to use to fly people to the moon and Mars, and Starlink, a network of as many as 30,000 satellites to provide high speed internet. SpaceX is building multiple Starship rockets at once, as founder Elon Musk has the company on an ambitious timeline to begin launching Starship regularly and prove that it can be reused easily, like an aircraft.

Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer of Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX), left, speaks as NASA astronaut Bob Behnken looks on during the NASA Commercial Crew Program (CCP) astronaut visit at the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, U.S., on Monday, Aug. 13, 2018.

Patrick T. Fallon | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Shotwell, speaking at Baron Fund's annual investment conference at the Metropolitan Opera House on Friday, gave an update on SpaceX's goals for Starship.

"We want Starship in orbit next year; we want to land it on the moon before 2022 with cargo and with people shortly thereafter," Shotwell said.

However, much like Musk in his presentation last month, Shotwell hedged her estimate, saying that "every time I make a prediction about schedule I turn myself into a liar." Most of SpaceX is focused on the company's Crew Dragon capsule, which is undergoing a final series of tests before it flies two NASA astronauts.

"It's a critical program for us, as it's our first step to flying astronauts," Shotwell said.

Shotwell said SpaceX wants to fly Crew Dragon frequently so the company can learn as much as it can about flying people safely. While SpaceX has dozens of successful rocket launches under its belt, it has yet to fly astronauts. The first Crew Dragon flights will go to the International Space Station much like the uncrewed test mission SpaceX performed with the capsule in March and will be an important step toward its grander ambitions.

"Then we'll put people on Starship and send them to farther places," Shotwell said.

An animation of SpaceX's rocket Starship launching through the Earth's atmosphere.

SpaceX

Once complete, Starship will be an immense rocket as SpaceX designed the rocket to carry as many as 100 people. But, more importantly, the company is applying the lessons its learned landing rockets to make Starship fully reusable, Shotwell explained.

"If you're going to take people to other planets, you can't wait for a new aerospace industry to develop on the planet before you can figure out how to land a rocket. You have to figure out how to land, refuel, and come back," Shotwell said.

SpaceX has successfully recovered 44 boosters from its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. But while the booster recoveries have been a step forward in rocketry, it only represents the bottom portion of the rocket. SpaceX wants to recover both Starship, which will be the upper part of the rocket, and its Super Heavy booster.

"So we're not going to waste anything ... all we'll spend money on is fuel," Shotwell said.

But Starship will feature in the company's plans in more ways than just exploration. Shotwell revealed that SpaceX plans to use the new rocket to deploy its Starlink network even more quickly than it is already.

SpaceX launched the first 60 Starlink satellites in May, packing them into the top of a Falcon 9 rocket. And, just before the launch, Musk told reporters that SpaceX has "sufficient capital" to get its Starlink satellite network "to an operational level."

"In the next few weeks we're going to launch another 60 and then get to a cadence of launching 60 every other week to fill out the constellation," Shotwell said.

"We need 360 to 400 to have a constant connectivity where the satellites can end up through the ground talking to each other. Once we get to 1,200 satellites, we will have coverage of the whole globe," Shotwell added.

SpaceX deploys its 60 Starlink satellites simultaenously.

SpaceX | GIF by @thesheetztweetz

Once SpaceX is flying Starship regularly, she said the rocket will be able to launch nearly seven times as many Starlink satellites at once.

"Starship can take 400 satellites at a time," Shotwell said.

SpaceX and its investors see Starlink as the key to funding Musk's vision of colonizing Mars. Shotwell said the company's board of directors in 2012 realized the profit margins from the commercial satellites it was launching for customers were "much higher" than SpaceX's launch business. Musk estimates Starlink could generate more than $30 billion per year at least 10 times what SpaceX could bring in at best from its launch business.

Shotwell also noted that completing the Starlink network will cost less than some estimates. Morgan Stanley last week said it would cost about $60 billion for SpaceX to launch 30,000 Starlink satellites, an estimate Shotwell dismissed.

"They were way off," Shotwell said.

Unlike traditional satellites, Starlinks will have limited lifespans of about five years, Shotwell explained. SpaceX will "refresh the technology" of the Starlink network by rapidly replacing the satellites, which are designed to intentionally burn up in the Earth's atmosphere.

"The satellites will be limited in their life because the longer you want the satellites to live on orbit the more money you put have to put into it," Shotwell said. "We will be continually launching these satellites to refresh the technology, to address any issues with the satellites, to put up ones that are working better in its place."

Read more:
SpaceX wants to land Starship on the moon within three years, president says, with people soon after - CNBC

The UAE's first astronaut gives a behind-the-scenes look at the international outpost

Hazza Al Mansouri's mission to International Space Station last month marked a lot of firsts for the UAE and for the space sector as a whole.

The former military pilot became the first Emirati in space, the first to hold a dinner featuring traditional local food and the first to give a tour of the ISS in Arabic.

The ISS is made up of many modules, some are research laboratories, others are cargo storage or living spaces. Different modules are run by different space agencies, such as the Japanese Experiment Module - known as Kibo - which was developed by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa) as a science module.

Maj Al Mansouri's tour began in the astronauts' living quarters, where any spare time is spent and astronauts can get ready for the day ahead.

The Emirati then showed off one of the laboratories where most of the scientific experiments are carried out and demonstrated how astronauts maintain their physical fitness while onboard the ISS.

Next, he showed the Airlock, the area from where astronauts perform space walks and where astronauts carry out maintenance work for the station.

He then went to Nod 3, a training room where astronauts apply pressure to their bodies to stop their muscles from atrophying, the storage room, and demonstrated how astronauts sleep in the microgravity environment.

He gave a tour of the kitchen, where astronauts prepare and eat their food, and the main commander control unit, where astronauts control the station and any incoming cargo.

Maj Al Mansouri spent eight days on the ISS, where he carried out experiments and held several live Q&A sessions with students. He returned to Earth on October 3.

Updated: October 24, 2019 03:20 PM

Link:
Space tour: Hazza Al Mansouri's video shows life on board the International Space Station - The National

Mr pik said: Im 54, so statistically speaking Ive got a quarter of a century to see all this happen and I think its realistic to see 20,000 inhabit space.

More will probably go there in that time, possibly millions.

The ways to get into space right now are to make friends with a superpower and go through astronaut school or to be a billionaire and build your own rocket that will take you there.

Or you can become an Asgardian and while there are other initiatives such as Blue Origin the brainchild of Jeff Bezos who clearly sees the same logical imperatives as Asgardia does Asgardia is the only properly developed society with its own governance system and cohesive proto-society.

Mr pik previously told Express.co.uk space colonisation is coming and it is simply a matter of time.

Continue reading here:
Life in space: 20,000 people will leave Earth in the next 25 years - Possibly millions - Express.co.uk

File Photo, Oil City

CASPER, Wyo. Following their discussion of the possibility of building a new police headquarters, the Casper City Council listened to a presentation on possible new Fire-EMS headquarters and Station No. 1 space.

Station No. 1 is the largest station in terms of personnel and houses the ladder truck. Battalion Chief Dan Griswold explained that it houses between 6-10 firefighters at any given time.

Police Facility Design Group, PA was contracted to conduct a feasibility study and space needs assessments for both the Police and Fire-EMS Departments.

Article continues below...

Rick Kuhl with WSFG Architects partners with Police Facility Design Group to provide fire department facility studies. He presented such a study to the Casper City Council.

He said that co-locating Casper Fire-EMS headquarters with Station No. 1 would be the most efficient use of space, which saves money.

Councilman Mike Huber asked whether a new Station No. 1 could be built and utilize the existing space to house administration had been considered.

Kuhl said he did not have specific cost estimates of what that kind of renovation might look like.

Station No. 1 was built in 1976 and has about 11,000 square feet of space, Kuhl explained.

He said that one deficiency of the current facility is the lack of Health and Wellness Protocols for personnel.

He pointed out that cancer may be more prevalent among firefighters. The lack of decontamination processes in place at Station No. 1 are a concern.

Another concern with the station is insufficient quality of living space.

He said that a quality living space is important to ensure that firefighters get a good amount of rest. Adding more fitness space would also benefit firefighters.

The dormitory style at Station No. 1 doesnt support a diverse workforce since male and female firefighters dont have separate space, Kuhl added.

He recommended private sleep spaces be incorporated into a new design.

Councilman Bob Hopkins said that this could lead to difficulties recruiting firefighters to work at this station.

Other problems include building code deficiencies such as ADA compliance issues and a lack of fire separation protection at the facility.

A lack of training space at the station was another deficiency identified in the assessment. Kuhl said this referred to classroom space.

The current Casper Fire-EMS administration shares space with the police department in the City Center Building.

Kuhl said the study found that the fire department administration requires 14,000 square feet of space to meet current and future demands. The administrative space is currently about 7,000 square feet.

Station No. 1 is utilized by about 6-10 personnel and currently has about 11,300 square feet of space. The study says about 24,200 square feet is needed to allow up to 16 personnel to operate out of that station.

Using 2020 building cost numbers, the consultant estimates the cost of replacing both the administrative space as well as the Station No. 1 space as follows:

Should the city wish to develop a new facility to house both the fire headquarters and Station No. 1 at one site, the study says they should expect such a project to take 2-3 years.

If the city wants to do it in phases, the study says that would take between 3-5 years.

It also provides two possible development options.

The first option is to house both the fire headquarters and Station No. 1 in a single story facility:

The second option is for a two-story facility. This option is similar to the first option, with the exception that some bunk space would be provided on the second floor of the Station No. 1 half of the design:

Full details are included in the councils work packet.

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Caspers Fire Station No. 1 has a variety of deficiencies a rebuild would address - Oil City News

The ESA Aeolus satellite is used for Earth observation.

About 5,300 satellitesorbit Earth right now, which also means that thousands of cameras take images in real time above you. Major advances in satellite photography since the 1957 launch of Sputnikhave many people concerned about surveillance from space. If you worry aboutprivacy, you may wonder what satellites can actually see and where the data goes.

Satellite photography provides a unique vantage point for taking photos of the planet that can help scientists and others recognize patterns and trends. But it also raises concerns at a time when personal privacy is under far more scrutiny than ever before.

Privacy has become a flashpoint issue in the digital age with companies recording and keeping data when they aren't supposed to and withdata breachesthat have revealed millions of credit card numbers, government identification numbers, birth dates and addresses.

I spoke with cybersecurity experts to find out what you need to know about these real-time eyes in the sky, what you need to worry about and what you don't. Most agreed that misperceptions stoke fears of a tech dystopia and that overall the benefits of satellite photography outweigh the risks.

The Genesis II stopped working long ago but remains in orbit. In September, the US Air Force warned of a slight possibility that it could collide with a dead Russian satellite.

Satellites are capable of taking photographs from space, but most of the thousands of cameras in orbit are unconcerned with your house, experts say. For example, farmers rely on satellite imagery to help assess their crops throughout the growing season, while city planners use it to more efficiently map highways, according to Charlie Loyd, an imagery specialist at online mapmaker Mapbox.

Satellite data helps organize travel and airmail.Environmental satellites document rising sea levels, hurricanes and wildfires. Geologists can also map fault lines and predict volcanic eruptions with data from radar satellites.

The United Nations keeps a satellite registry going back to the 1960s, though many aren't in orbit anymore. Here are the main types:

Satellite photos aren't like a spy movie where you can keep zooming in until you see freckles on a person's nose. In fact, photos today aren't accurate in the way your phone's camera is. For example, each pixel you see -- in a satellite image with one-meter resolution -- covers one square meter of ground.

As a rule of thumb, the lower an image resolution is, the better the image quality. Click on the links below to see simulation satellite images at multiple resolutions of the same object:

While the accuracy of data can vary from satellite to satellite depending on its photographic capability, the vast majority of imagery isn't typically good enough to jeopardize the average person's privacy.

"I suspect that most people think of accuracy and satellites based on what they see in action-adventure and spy movies," said John Gomez, CEO at cybersecurity company Sensato.

Satellites are actually governed by rules and regulations. A US business that wants to launch a satellite must get a Federal Communications Commission license and an International Telecommunications Union approval first.

Surveillance satellites must also meet strict National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) regulations, according to Ben Lamm, CEO of Hypergiant Industries, an AI products and services company.

"If the satellite can see less than 0.3 meters, the satellite will be deemed illegal or only usable by the defense industry. At this range, the satellite is able to identify maybe cars, definitely homes, but not individual people," Lamm said.

Jamie Cambell, the founder of GoBestVPN.com, said that the NOAA cap on image clarity is only for US satellites. Lamm noted that the regulations and licensing requirements in place are strict enough to ensure that the public's privacy is protected.

US regulations don't apply to satellites from other countries, but other countries do regulate their satellites too. Canada's satellites, for example, are governed by the Remote Sensing Space Systems Act. In addition, Europe's General Data Protection Regulation may apply to any imaging system that could personally identify EU citizens.

Drones raise a whole new set of questions about privacy.

While satellites take photos, experts point out that drones and helicopters can too -- much more cheaply, easily and accurately. Drones that can track and identify faces are available on Amazon and at Best Buy, Gomez said.

"Even if the person runs or hides behind an object or wall or car, the drone will wait them out. That is a $1,500 drone," said Gomez. "Think about what you could do with a professional drone."

Drones are also easier to deploy for more nefarious purposes, according to Gomez.

"They can stay on target for very long periods of time and you can arm them if you wanted to take someone out," he said.

For example, the International Space Station orbits the Earth a few times per day and captures stunning photos from space. It's classified as an artificial satellite, but you wouldn't expect it to be able to photograph your license plate number. By contrast, last month (and much closer to the ground), an off-duty Louisville Metro Police Department officer in Kentucky flew a police droneoutside an apartment complex downtown. The drone reportedly flew past multiple floors of the apartment's 29 stories and remained 5 to 10 feet from the apartment's balconies.

Justin Sherman, a cybersecurity policy fellow at Think Tank New America, said the mass amounts of commercial satellites allow for new levels of OSINT, or open-source intelligence collection.OSINT is data collected from publicly available sources that's used in an intelligence context.

Although satellites take photos, said Loyd, pictures are just pixels unless they're then attached to data. Potential privacy problems surrounding satellites depend on which satellite you're talking about, your expectations and the abuse of other data streams.

Gomez said that instead of hacking a satellite to reveal your location patterns, for example, it would be easier to hack your phone, your phone provider or your vehicle's GPS system to find out where you are and where you've been.

Khan said that government surveillance has come under increasing public scrutiny. There's a thin line between acceptable and intrusive monitoring from above, she said. Cambell said that like most tech-related things, satellites are advancing too fast for the government regulation to keep up.

Knowing what satellites can and can't do is key to stopping misinformation, experts say -- although it's impossible, even for experts, to know everything that's happening. At the same time, technology will continue to improve and it's hard to say what satellites will be capable of in the future.

Read the rest here:
Satellite surveillance may be less of a privacy concern than you think -- for now - CNET