missiles

Missile-tracking satellites launched on demo flight

A United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket roared to life and thundered away from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Friday, successfully boosting a pair of experimental missile-tracking satellites into orbit for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.

With its roots in the old "Star Wars" program, the goal of the $1.5 billion Space Tracking and Surveillance System mission is to demonstrate the ability to detect and track enemy missiles from launch, through the so-called mid-course phase of flight to atmospheric entry, providing more accurate targeting data for interceptors.

"The purpose of these satellites is to … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 969: Poetry and warp drives

It's a-hole Thursday on Buzz Out Loud today, as we regale you, the listening audience, with tales of cyber douche baggery on Wikipedia, Facebook, and computer fair failures. Also, warp drives (space rant!), the death of Duke Nukem, and Meatspace.

Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 969

It’s 5/7/09. Why do numbers people like stuff like that so much? http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/05/06/national/a195730D93.DTL&tsp=1

WiGig Alliance formed: Seeks to codify an in-room wireless spec that can handle HD video and everything … Read more

World awaits ballistic-missile takedown over Asia

Does a "Star Wars" missile defense work? We may soon find out, if the rocket launch planned by North Korea starts to veer anywhere near Japan, instead of disappearing harmlessly into the stratosphere, as is hoped.

Japan says it will station the destroyers Kongo and Chokai in the Sea of Japan off North Korea. Both vessels will be armed with SM-3 ballistic-missile defense systems, in case the rocket malfunctions or wanders close to any of its islands, according to the Japanese Kyodo news agency.

"If it is capable of reaching Japan, then it goes without saying that … Read more

The 404 202: Where it's hot as hell and Jeff is hungry

Several times throughout today's show, The 404 almost causes the universe to implode. Our Earth-shaking collection of topics today include a story about Viagra missiles, iPhone flaws and young love, divinely drunk intervention, and more Ryan Gosling/Ryan Reynolds confusion...which witch is which?!

One of the more ridiculous stories on today's show is about a man that somehow managed to smuggle a fake, but extremely realistic looking missile into New York with a sticker on the side that proudly read "VIVA VIAGRA." After driving around New York, making stops at Times Square and the Trump Tower, the man ended up in front of the Pfizer corporate building where the company promptly slapped a restraining order and a cease and desist warning on his man-made missile. The craziest part about this story is the fact that one man somehow drove through the Midtown tunnel and several New York police officers with a missile attached to his truck.

Is that all it takes? The man claims that ""New York City cops are smart. They know the difference between a mock-up and the real thing," and that's all well and good, but what about scaring the sh*t out of thousands of New Yorkers? Mass chaos isn't so fun. Do you think The 404 should pull a stunt like this? Clearly it'd be pretty easy to set in motion, and you know we need the publicity! Any suggestions? Leave us a comment and and let us know!

EPISODE 202 Download today's podcast … Read more

Unseen Nike missiles once protected S.F., other U.S. cities

MARIN HEADLANDS, Calif.--It is sometimes amazing to discover what is right in your backyard.

I grew up in San Francisco, yet it was only recently that I discovered that just a few miles north of the City by the Bay, the United States' only fully restored Nike missile site is nestled into these gorgeous green hills, in plain view of the Pacific Ocean and one of my all-time favorite beaches.

As I was planning my departure to the U.S. South on Road Trip 2008, this year's version of Road Trip 2007, the 25-day journey I took last … Read more

Missile Command on giant multi-touch screen

If someone can figure out a business model for giant multi-touch video games it will make life a lot more fun. It would also disrupt the way we generally consume games through a console and joystick-esque appendages. Maybe I will dedicate my life to this idea next.

Via Gizmodo

USB Missile Launcher: Make use of that available USB port

When I first saw this video, I thought to myself "Cute, but jeez. Somebody must have a lot of time on their hands!" and I laughed it off. Then I ran into this USB Missile Launcher today, and I realized that I need to take these fun USB gizmos a bit less seriously. I mean, it's hard to be serious and have fun at the same time!

Boy, did I have fun with this little toy of war. You can steer it 360 degrees around and also up and down about 45 degrees. The bundled software that … Read more

Video: Missile hits satellite target

One shot was all it took for the Pentagon to decommission with extreme prejudice a spy satellite that first failed to operate and then started on a steady descent toward Mother Earth.

A Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) streaked skyward from the USS Lake Erie late Wednesday and whacked the satellite while it was still 130 or so miles up in space--and whizzing along at 17,000 miles per hour.

Defense Department officials quickly pronounced the mission a success, not just in hitting the satellite at all, but also in apparently rupturing its fuel tank. The rationale for the target shoot was … Read more

Window or aisle, chicken or beef, laser protection or SAM in the fuselage?

The chances of your flight being hit by a shoulder-fired, laser-guided missile are good enough that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has spent more than $100 million looking into ways to prevent it.

Defense contractor Northrop Grumman just completed 6,000 hours of in-flight testing on its Guardian directed infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) system, all part of the DHS initiative to adapt existing military technology to protect commercial aircraft from attack by surface-to-air-missiles (SAM) similar to the U.S.-made Stinger.

The DIRCM system works by first detecting the attack, then directing an invisible, eye-safe laser to the homing/seeker … Read more