Oh for fuck's sake
https://gizmodo.com/bill-gates-backs-plan-to-surveil-the-entire-planet-from-1825391325
Anyone got any bright ideas for taking out surveillance satellites on a budget of 5 bucks and a bit of string?
Facebook: Would you like to check in to this location?
You: What the fuck? I wasn't even carrying my phone while I was there
Facebook: We're watching you from space, Dave, we can see EVERYTHING
@troubleMoney An umbrella?
@troubleMoney I have a plan, but I'm worried I might end up on some kind of list :(
Oh well, here goes:
So individually targeting a satellite is probably not possible, but it is possible to trigger Kessler syndrome on a budget
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kessler_syndrome
Orbit-capable rockets are getting more affordable, so you pack a few upper stages with steel strands 3mm thick / 10mm long. Send to orbit, spin up to speed and self-destruct
LEO is dead for 30 years, but that's enough for everyone to cool down
@cypnk @troubleMoney my thoughts on killing an individual satellite are: if you can hack the control system, you can fire it’s positioning thrusters and make the satellite throw itself out of orbit
@queerhackerwitch @troubleMoney Possible in theory. But requires a fair bit of planning and resource too
This has the deterrent potential so all bad actors are equally at risk
@cypnk @troubleMoney It’d take tremendous planning. Though it might be possible to hack the satellite directly, if I were to do it I’d need to hack the company who was controlling the satellite and get into the system they use to adjust its orbit.
@cypnk @troubleMoney that would be extremely cool and also definitely labeled terrorism and I'd be also extremely down
@noiob @troubleMoney I'm starting to think you're a bad influence on me :(
@cypnk @troubleMoney thank you, I'm trying
@troubleMoney @cypnk The supervillain solution to an unwanted satellite would involve lasers, I think.
@bstacey @troubleMoney Laser brooms are already something being worked on to get rid of orbital debris. Definitely not cheap though
I mean, large governments already have this sort of capability, which is bullshit in and of itself
But this is opening it out to fucking enterprise clients