Hobby Hackers Plan Space-Based Internet

Hevva

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Aug 2, 2011
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Hobby Hackers Plan Space-Based Internet



A group of hobby hackers is planning to launch its own constellation of internet satellites to dodge terrestrial censorship.


While the ground-based campaign against the likes of the Project HGG (Hackerspace Global Grid) [http://fightforthefuture.org/], and forms part of an attempted escape from the feared censorship of the internet.

The people behind Project HGG, who describe themselves as "a bunch of hobbyist hackers, tinkerers and part time scientists," came up with the idea when "hacktivist" Nick Farr called for an uncensorable "Hacker Space Program" in August at the Chaos Communication Conference 11 in Berlin. The core team behind Project HGG are based around Stuttgart, Germany.

The project is working with Constellation [http://aerospaceresearch.net/constellation/], an existing German (but English-speaking) platform for aerospace research, to bolster its processing power.

Described by one of its core members as "a kind of reverse GPS," Project HGG will aim to link its satellites to small, individual groundstations which people would be able to purchase for around $130. These static groundstations would form a global network of sorts at the same time as pinpointing the location of the project's satellites, ideally making data transfer quicker and more reliable. The group hopes to have the first of its groundstations available for purchase at the next Chaos Communication Conference later this year.

Could this really work, though? The answers to that question seem to range from "no" to "probably not, no." According to Professor Alan Woodward of the University of Surrey's computing department, launching an amateur satellite is technically possible. Unless it was geostationary (a satellite which stays above a fixed point on Earth), however, the satellite would just whizz past the groundstations without giving them much time to exchange information. Then again, a geostationary satellite has to be so far away from the planet that there would be a noticeable delay in data transfer times.

There's also the question of which national body, if any, would have jurisdiction over the project's proposed satellites. "There is also an interesting legal dimension in that outer space is not governed by the countries over which it floats," said Professor Woodward. "So, theoretically it could be a place for illegal communication to thrive. However, the corollary is that any country could take the law into their own hands and disable the satellites."

It'll be interesting to see where this project leads. While it continues its slow-burning progress, however, the kinds of things which Nick Farr said the project was a protest against are picking up speed. Having been this link right here. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/114903-SOPA-Debate-Postponed-to-2012]


Source: BBC [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16367042]









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Xanthious

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Dec 25, 2008
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This will ultimately be for naught when SOPA falls flat on it's face like COICA and many other such scary internet laws before it. Don't get me wrong, SOPA is horrible and would destroy the internet as we know it but ultimately it has as much chance of becoming law as something I drunkenly scribble on a bar napkin.

OT: Dear Escapist your Captchas are fucking unreadable! I shouldn't have to refresh TEN FUCKING TIMES to find one that is marginally legible enough that I think I can make out what it likely says.
 

Versuvius

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This is awesome. I don't care how impractical or improbably it may be, this means my moonbase can recieve semi-decent internets!
 

FalloutJack

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Nov 20, 2008
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Xanthious said:
OT: Dear Escapist your Captchas are fucking unreadable! I shouldn't have to refresh TEN FUCKING TIMES to find one that is marginally legible enough that I think I can make out what it likely says.
What he said. Stop testing me for being human or not. IT'S OBVIOUS.

Anyway, I find this idea highly amusing even if SOPA falls flat on its ass, which it had BETTER. Now, we will thwart Dr. Evil, once and for all!
 

The Random One

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May 29, 2008
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Wasn't this the plot of a William Gibson novel?

Xanthious said:
Don't get me wrong, SOPA is horrible and would destroy the internet as we know it but ultimately it has as much chance of becoming law as something I drunkenly scribble on a bar napkin.
Which is to say, a lot, as long as it has Hollywood and a bunch of powerful people behind it.
 

gigastar

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Sep 13, 2010
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Well a second internet with a definite owner would piss in SOPA's face and not have to worry about consequences, but i just fear what would happen if it got out of control.

Xanthious said:
OT: Dear Escapist your Captchas are fucking unreadable! I shouldn't have to refresh TEN FUCKING TIMES to find one that is marginally legible enough that I think I can make out what it likely says.
Publishers Club, paying £15 so i dont have to see a whiff of Captchas or ads for a year is probably one of the best things ive done last year.
 

Varil

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May 23, 2011
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Cool plan, but doesn't satellite internet usually suck? Granted, I'll take shoddy satellite internet over ground-based censornet.

Also : The Random One : Like your avatar. MSPA is awesome.
 

Versuvius

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Varil said:
Cool plan, but doesn't satellite internet usually suck? Granted, I'll take shoddy satellite internet over ground-based censornet.

Also : The Random One : Like your avatar. MSPA is awesome.
Large packets, high latency. Fast download speeds, abhorrent online gameplay
 

samsonguy920

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Yeah, great idea. Until the governments who object to that snap their fingers and their respective communications administrations ban the frequencies that the network runs on. Being unable to go to select websites is one thing(at least until your next door geek neighbor provides a workaround, which I have yet to hear on whether that will be illegal), but risking fines and jail time for breaching actual laws? Not worth it.
True you have to get busted for it first, but the likes of the FCC treat any infractions like they were treasonous.
 

HavoK 09

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it was said an so it shall be done, i wonder how they would try to fight this... maybe launching some missiles or hiring a bunch of hackers to fry those satelies.

The 1st Great Internet War is close, 2012 the end of the digital world as we know it
 

Xanthious

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Dec 25, 2008
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Even if SOPA passes (and it won't) this is still for naught. The pirates are ahead of the game even if SOPA were to pass. Darknets would simply surge in popularity on top of other means that would be an easy work around to the new SOPAnet. I can't begin to see how SOPA would stop something like usenet or private FTPs or anything other than a few select high traffic sites.

However, again, SOPA isn't passing. It's simply lip service to the entertainment industry that's shoveling massive amounts of money into the pockets of our government officials. Make no bones about it this thing is as dead in the water as it can get. Every year or so though the powers that be need to put on a good show for the people lining their pockets. Last year we had COICA and this year it's SOPA. Bottom line though it's all just for show.
 

Robert Ewing

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Mar 2, 2011
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Well, it was always obvious that pirates will overcome any form of censorship given enough time. I didn't expect this however.
 

Comando96

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May 26, 2009
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Well now the USA will need to start funding NASA again xD

Oh I am fucking Amazed at this xD

.....

HOLY SHIT they're German!
This shit just got serious and isn't a noob DIY attempt.

Germany has the technology and the people with the borderline-autistic engineering l33t skillz to create a Global Orbital internet provider...

However this means this new internet will suddenly become a place you go knowing full well all your computer is now being looked at by every major hacker in Germany >.>
 

Hero in a half shell

It's not easy being green
Dec 30, 2009
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Aw Escapist, I made a thread about this a few days ago, and although yours is much better written (with much more info.) You left out the best bit: The Hackers also want to go to the moon! You know what they say, in for a penny, in for a pound.
 

viranimus

Thread killer
Nov 20, 2009
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Good. Not only is a practical thing to have a backup internet ready to go, its also the right thing to do with so many people getting the wrong idea and thinking they have the right to dictate how the internet will be ran.
 

sniddy_v1legacy

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Jul 10, 2010
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gigastar said:
Publishers Club, paying £15 so i dont have to see a whiff of Captchas or ads for a year is probably one of the best things ive done last year.
Forceing me to disable software I can't mention - then advertising said service after a re-'vamp' worst thing escapist has done all year

On topic - I can see this passing you know why, the neutrality and freedom of the net is something those with power fear, this is the first step into regulating and managing it to their liking.

Just look at the great firewall of China....this is another step to a universal 'What I say goes' on the internet, and the 'I' being the man with the fattest wallet.

I feel we've been among the privileged few to really appreciate the 'wild west days' of the internet...

Sorry guys but the party is coming to an end.
 

KeyMaster45

Gone Gonzo
Jun 16, 2008
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sniddy said:
On topic - I can see this passing you know why, the neutrality and freedom of the net is something those with power fear, this is the first step into regulating and managing it to their liking.

Just look at the great firewall of China....this is another step to a universal 'What I say goes' on the internet, and the 'I' being the man with the fattest wallet.

I feel we've been among the privileged few to really appreciate the 'wild west days' of the internet...

Sorry guys but the party is coming to an end.
I'm not following you on this string of logic, this satellite project would be to circumvent exactly that.
 

ThatDarnCoyote

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Dec 3, 2011
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So, how much will running this thing cost? Satellites ain't exactly cheap.

We all know how famous Internet people are for not wanting to pay for anything...
 

Aeshi

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Dec 22, 2009
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KeyMaster45 said:
sniddy said:
On topic - I can see this passing you know why, the neutrality and freedom of the net is something those with power fear, this is the first step into regulating and managing it to their liking.

Just look at the great firewall of China....this is another step to a universal 'What I say goes' on the internet, and the 'I' being the man with the fattest wallet.

I feel we've been among the privileged few to really appreciate the 'wild west days' of the internet...

Sorry guys but the party is coming to an end.
I'm not following you on this string of logic, this satellite project would be to circumvent exactly that.
I think what he means is that countries will just put up some Firewalls to jam the satellites or something.