I Art You

Surrey Satellite Technology began in the 1970’s when the commercial space industry was all but non-existant. Co founder and CEO Professor Sir Martin Sweeting partnered with his university to create a company that began developing low cost satelites. The article from the Guardian has a fascinating look at the history of the company as well as the past present and future of micro satelites.

“According to SSTL, a large satellite might weigh more than 1,000kg, cost $500m and take years to develop. One of its micro-satellites, by comparison, would weigh 100kg, cost $10m and take 18 months to put together”.

There is some fear that these micro satelites could clutter the space around the earth, a fear that is more then warrented given the amount of debree already floating about space. With satelites costing a mear $10 million dollars many companies, and even a few wealthy individuals may be reserving their spot on the assembly line in the near future.

Now you can get your name on NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, anyone who enters their name will have it written on digital storage on the orbiter. Several years ago NASA offered a similar program for a Mars orbiter or lander, but if I am not mistaken that spacecraft crashed or lost communication before it reached Mars. Despite its failure its safe to say the problem was not due to the names the craft was carrying.

Since my name did not make it to Mars I am eager to send it to the moon. I hope that this time it will arrive safely. The orbiters mission will be; to find safe landing sites, locate potential resources, characterize the radiation environment, and demonstrate new technology.

Finally, rather then boring aliens with crude drawings of ourselves and sounds of whales a company is stepping up and doing the most logical thing to contact intelligent life from other planets. Doritos has announced their plans to broadcast a chip commercial into deep space. Although television shows, songs, and messages from earth have been broad casted into space before, Doritos will be the first company to intentionally send an advertisement into space.
Although some people are horrified that our first message to another species may be advertising a spicy tortia chip to me it sounds like a logical idea. If someone calls me and says, come over here and look at me, please! Chances are I am going to think they are insane or desperate for attention. However, if someone calls me up and offers me something I would like to purchase perhaps I will follow up on the message. I think provided whatever species is gets the transmission, if any, has a love for snack foods they will no doubt send someone out to sample the Doritos. So start stockpiling today, become an intergalactic merchant tomorrow.