Post by Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe on Jun 20, 2005 15:05:27 GMT -6
Little Free Flier Offers Astronauts An Eye Outside
Houston TX (SPX) Jun 20, 2005
Size-wise, it's just a squirt. But it offers astronauts a new way to get a look at trouble outside a spacecraft.
Engineers at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston believe the Mini AERCam holds considerable promise for future space exploration. It is the product of work on such spacecraft that began more than five years ago.
It is basically a flying-eye satellite. It's less than eight inches in diameter and weighs 10 pounds. It is designed to provide views that fixed cameras, cameras on robotic arms or cameras carried by spacewalkers can't.
More here: www.spacedaily.com/news/spacetravel-05zzu.html
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It doesn't state what the propulsion is, but it's a good idea.