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polalavik • yesterday at 9:36 PM • 3 replies • view on HN

i don't get why more folks aren't just going for the much cheaper option like this https://www.solaris-suborbital.space/

Replies

adolph • yesterday at 10:22 PM

That looks like a very cool option and effort. Like the Chinese balloons that overflew the US in the last (few?) years, it would likely be challenging to shoot down. Otoh, it might cause some diplomatic disagreements about overflight.

  There are a number of competing theories in international law, with varying 
  criteria, to delineate the upper limit delineating airspace versus outer 
  space. This debate is unsettled. [0]
There may also be some technical challenges having to do with beamforming rf to the vehicle. Starshield like Starlink has the predictability of orbital vehicles for tracking. It would be interesting to understand how a ground station focuses on the solar glider.

0. https://opil.ouplaw.com/display/10.1093/law:epil/97801992316...

ExpertAdvisor01 • yesterday at 10:32 PM

Because they will be destroyed immediately

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jacobgkau • yesterday at 9:45 PM

There might be less societal objection to "satellites in space orbiting the planet" than to "planes flying continuously over the same area," even if both can be used for similar purposes. I'd assume it'd also be easier to disrupt suborbital systems like that than satellites, but I could be wrong.