Orbiting Datahavens

With all the recent talk about converted oil-rig DataHavens floating
around the oceans, fending off pirates, and Low-Orbit satellite
communications, I had a thought.

  How about an orbiting DataHaven. No jurisdiction to bother with,
extremely difficult to get to (except by large governments...). You could
put together a couple of Linux boxes with a RAID system, some backups and a
large solar panel and have a very nice, secure DataHaven.

  Granted, you wouldn't have all the fun of floating around the south
pacific fending off pirates and navies who are after your data, but it
would work. Might even be cheaper than outfitting the oil-ring with the
rate that they are tossing satellites into space.

  If the HAM radio community can get a satellite into space, why not the
Cypherpunks/Linux communities?

   Brian

------- <blane@aa.net> -------------------- <http://www.aa.net/~blane> -------
       "Extremism in the defense of Liberty is no vice" - B. Goldwater
==============  11 99 3D DB 63 4D 0B 22  15 DC 5A 12 71 DE EE 36  ============

In message <32155657.53661@mail.aa.net>, "Brian C. Lane" writes:
>  How about an orbiting DataHaven. No jurisdiction to bother with,
>extremely difficult to get to (except by large governments...). You could
>put together a couple of Linux boxes with a RAID system, some backups and a
>large solar panel and have a very nice, secure DataHaven.

	Wouldn't you have to use military-grade chips for the hardware? (Or
whatever the type is - it had better survive launch, not to mention solar
flares.)

>  Granted, you wouldn't have all the fun of floating around the south
>pacific fending off pirates and navies who are after your data, but it
>would work. Might even be cheaper than outfitting the oil-ring with the
>rate that they are tossing satellites into space.

	Well, there would be less need to make it hurricane proof! :-)

>  If the HAM radio community can get a satellite into space, why not the
>Cypherpunks/Linux communities?

	Wow - I've been out of touch with space programmes in the last few
years - which satellite was this? (The HAM radio one?)

	Anyone have any reccomendations for good web sites on
satellites/rockets/space science in general?

	Here's a couple of ESA URLs to start the ball rolling:
ARIANE 5 Failure - Full Report
European Space Agency


	I'm not sure who would launch it - a Japanese launcher? (ESA is
strapped for cash, which was one reason for the phenomenaly stupid move of
putting space probes onto the maiden flight of the Ariane 5.)

	Derek

On Sat, 17 Aug 1996, Derek Bell wrote:

> 	Wouldn't you have to use military-grade chips for the hardware? (Or
> whatever the type is - it had better survive launch, not to mention solar
> flares.)

  You'd have to make sure everything was soldered in pretty well, but it
could be done. As for solar flare, etc. protection it won't need anything
that any other satellite system would need.

> >  If the HAM radio community can get a satellite into space, why not the
> >Cypherpunks/Linux communities?
> 
> 	Wow - I've been out of touch with space programmes in the last few
> years - which satellite was this? (The HAM radio one?)

  Embarrasingly enough, I cannot remember its name. I don't have a HAM
license (although I've studied for it -- just never took the test), but my
boss does. I think the satellite was launched in the mid to late 80's, and
it used for experimental communications.

> 
> 	Anyone have any reccomendations for good web sites on
> satellites/rockets/space science in general?

  Good idea, I'll start a link on my webpage :>

> 	I'm not sure who would launch it - a Japanese launcher? (ESA is
> strapped for cash, which was one reason for the phenomenaly stupid move of
> putting space probes onto the maiden flight of the Ariane 5.)

  We'd want someone more reliable than ESA! I doubt that we could afford
to have a backup satellite in case of a disaster. Once the Delta Clipper
is functional the payload costs to orbit is supposed to drop tremendously.

   Brian

On Tue, 2 Jul 1996, Brian Lane wrote:

> On Sat, 17 Aug 1996, Derek Bell wrote:
> 
> 
> > >  If the HAM radio community can get a satellite into space, why not the
> > >Cypherpunks/Linux communities?
> > 
> > 	Wow - I've been out of touch with space programmes in the last few
> > years - which satellite was this? (The HAM radio one?)
> 
>   Embarrasingly enough, I cannot remember its name. I don't have a HAM
> license (although I've studied for it -- just never took the test), but my
> boss does. I think the satellite was launched in the mid to late 80's, and
> it used for experimental communications.
> 
The satellite is called OSCAR (Orbital-something-something-Amateur-Radio).
The first one was launched in 1961, and 20 more have been launched since 
then, as the older ones wear out or there are advances in technology.

---

Zach Babayco

zachb@netcom.com  <----- finger for PGP public key
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Park/4127

On Sat, 17 Aug 1996, Brian C. Lane wrote:
>   With all the recent talk about converted oil-rig DataHavens floating
> around the oceans, fending off pirates, and Low-Orbit satellite
> communications, I had a thought.
>   How about an orbiting DataHaven. No jurisdiction to bother with,
> extremely difficult to get to (except by large governments...). You could
> put together a couple of Linux boxes with a RAID system, some backups and a
> large solar panel and have a very nice, secure DataHaven.
>   Granted, you wouldn't have all the fun of floating around the south
> pacific fending off pirates and navies who are after your data, but it
> would work. Might even be cheaper than outfitting the oil-ring with the
> rate that they are tossing satellites into space.
>   If the HAM radio community can get a satellite into space, why not the
> Cypherpunks/Linux communities?

     It is just as easy to take out a satelite in LOE as it is to sink an
oil rig, plus swapping defective Hard Drives is a real bitch.

Petro, Christopher C.
petro@suba.com <prefered for any non-list stuff>
snow@smoke.suba.com