Astronauts finally get Internet access in space

[Full of Win]

Good for them, they can pre-order the Apple tablet from Space. I wonder what their latency is? I also wonder if they can DL porn up there. I have a good joke, but I'll hold it in fear of a mod putting the smack down on me.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9DCUQVG1&show_article=1

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - In a high tech first—really, really high—astronauts in space finally have Internet access.
Space station resident Timothy (TJ) Creamer had been working with flight controllers to establish Internet access from his orbital post ever since he moved in last month. On Friday, his effort paid off. He posted the first live Twitter post truly from space.

"Hello Twitterverse!" he wrote as Astro(underscore)TJ. "We r now LIVE tweeting from the International Space Station -- the 1st live tweet from Space! More soon, send your ?s"

Before, orbiting astronauts had to send such Twitter updates by e-mail to Mission Control in Houston. Then controllers posted the tweets.

The International Space Station crew can now use an on-board laptop to reach a desktop computer at Mission Control, and thereby browse the Web. This remote Internet access is possible whenever there is a solid high-speed communication link.

It's expected to provide a big morale boost.

"Long-duration astronauts, they commit to spending months away from family and friends. It's a pretty unique state of isolation," said NASA spokesman Kelly Humphries. "We expect this to enhance morale and productivity."

The astronauts will be subject to the same Internet access guidelines as other on-the-job government employees, namely no interfering with work.

Is NASA worried the astronauts might spend too much time online, more than 200 miles up?

"These are highly driven individuals," Humphries said with a chuckle, "so they're going to get their work done first."

The astronauts already had an Internet Protocol phone for private calls to family and friends.

Creamer is one month into a five-month mission. He is sharing the space station with another American, one Japanese and two Russians.

 

[ucfgrad93]

This is good news for astronauts. However, I am surprised it took so long
.

 

[Big Dave]

If any of my tax dollars go toward astronauts doing "farm town", I'm going to be mad. Macrumors and risque websites are ok.

 

[ethical]

How long till they start tweeting?

Astro_lad88: "@FlyMe2DaMoon forgot to put the toilet seat down again. FML"

EDIT:
Damn. Just read the article. That ruined my joke!

 

[Doctor Q]

I also wonder if they can DL...

Since they are over our heads that would be uploading!

 

[yg17]

Good for them, they can pre-order the Apple tablet from Space. I wonder what their latency is? I also wonder if they can DL porn up there. I have a good joke, but I'll hold it in fear of a mod putting the smack down on me.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9DCUQVG1&show_article=1

I hope they're allowed to look at porn. They're up there in space away from their significant others for months at a time, they need some sort of release!

Actually, on second thought, it might not be necessary. There are male and female astronauts up there, right? Maybe the spouses back home give them the OK to cheat. I bet doing it in zero g would be fun.

 

[dmmcintyre3]

I wonder why they could not just hook into any of the satellite internet providers?

Since they are over our heads that would be uploading!

You are so funny.

 

[yg17]

I wonder why they could not just hook into any of the satellite internet providers?



You are so funny.

Because they would still have to have line of sight to the satellites. Those sats are positioned over the US, while the ISS orbits the planet, which means the ISS would have a very small timespan of which they could possibly have LOS to those sats and a usable connection, if it was even possible at all.

Plus, NASA probably wanted something that they knew was secure.

 

[velocityg4]

So when's the first hacker going to blow an airlock or crash the space station?

 

[leomac08]

Facebook status: "So today I floated in space, and I did a space walk..the food is disgusting yet i'm still stuck in outer space..I wish there was a mcdonald's in space, oh did i tell you guys i'm in space! woooo"

 

[TheSVD]

Since they are over our heads that would be uploading!

budum tshhh

 

[MacNut]

Because they would still have to have line of sight to the satellites. Those sats are positioned over the US, while the ISS orbits the planet, which means the ISS would have a very small timespan of which they could possibly have LOS to those sats and a usable connection, if it was even possible at all.

Plus, NASA probably wanted something that they knew was secure.

It would have to be coming from servers at NASA that is uplinked. I doubt they will give them a wide open pipe. How do they contact the ISS now, isn't it satellite relays that track them. I don't think they have dead zones anymore.

 

[125037]

You are so funny.

Don't be a jerk.

 

[canes960]

That is amazing. I want to be on Farmville in space.