Satellite Communications

Mars rover Curiosity will phone home on NASA's interplanetary Internet

Data from the Mars Science Laboratory will ride back to Earth on NASA's Deep Space Network.

NOAA tracks toxic Great Lakes algae from space

A public/private pilot program is taking a close-up look at harmful algae in Lake Erie by processing data retrieved from space.

Mixing supercomputing, social networking for a better view of Earth

The NASA Earth Exchange lets scientists build in hours Landsat-based Earth models that used to take months.

Solar-storm launch boldly goes where no rubber chicken has gone before

Some California high school students sent NASA's Camilla mascot into space during March's intense solar storms.

DARPA aims to replace regular satellites with floating clusters

The Defense Department's research agency seeks to build clusters of small spacecraft that work together and share information.

MUOS begins new era for defense satellites

The launch of the first Mobile User Objective System satellite in February marked a major step forward for the military's communications-on-the-move projects.

Smart phones for multiple networks? FCC mulls changes.

The commission is considering rule changes that would make smart phones and tablets interoperable with different networks.

More satellites means more SATCOM gridlock

The rapid global growth of satellite operators is causing substantial interference problems, experts say.

Neutrinos carry text message through solid rock

Whether neutrinos are faster than light is still up in the air, but researchers find they can take communications through stone.

Military's leased satellites: Is there a better way?

The ways DOD pays for and manages its leased civilian satellite communications networks are inefficient and needlessly expensive, one industry official says.

'Janitor satellite' would clean up space junk

The Swiss Space Center's CleanSpace One project aims to help sweep the orbital paths of dangerous debris, but let's hope it's not one piece at a time.

FCC shoots down LightSquared's plans for satellite network

Ruling comes after NTIA report concludes there is "no practical way" to solve the problem of GPS interference at the moment.

Can NASA give away a working satellite?

The GALEX space telescope is functioning fine, but its funding has dried up. If CalTech doesn't take over, it becomes one more piece of space junk.

Court's GPS ruling doesn't answer the real question of online privacy

The court's decision that use of a GPS tracking device constitutes a search relied on property rights and did not address the question of privacy in an increasingly online world.

Largest solar storm in 7 years could disrupt GPS signals, power grid

Storm also could bring Northern Lights to parts of the lower 48.

DARPA seeks ways to rebuild space junk

DOD is developing new ways to get high-resolution images of spacecraft as part of a plan to build new satellites in orbit from parts salvaged from deactivated crafts.

Navy's new disaster response van runs on solar, wind power

The Navy's salvage command has rolled out a command van that uses solar, wind and battery power to supplement its generator.