Space, Bitches. Space. (No, Really)

While our Big 10 brethren just up the road in East Lansing are setting couches on fire to study the combustibility of...couches, a couple Michigan students have built a 6.5-pound satellite that is scheduled to become the first stand-alone spacecraft built by Michigan students to go into orbit and perform a science mission.

You had a 10 page term paper due today?  How quaint.

Yes -- a couple U-M students built a fucking satellite.

"I'm incredibly impressed with these students," said team adviser James Cutler, an assistant professor in the departments of Aerospace Engineering and Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences.

Aw, yes -  the departments of Aerospace Engineering and Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences.  I came *this* close to majoring in good ol' AEAOSS.  *This* close.  It was either Aerospace Engineering and Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences for me...or Comm.  And while I never built a satellite, junior year I did build a really kick-ass beer bong.

According to the article linked above, "The Radio Aurora Explorer (RAX) is slated for launch Nov. 19 from Kodiak, Alaska. Its primary mission is to study how plasma instabilities in the highest layers of the atmosphere disrupt communication and navigation signals between Earth and orbiting satellites."

Well that sucks:  Andy and I were just talking yesterday about building a satellite on the side to show how plasma instabilities in the second-highest layers of the atmosphere disrupt communication and navigation signals between Earth and orbiting satellites.

Shit.  What are the odds?  So much for that.

Guess we'll have to go with Plan B:   Photoshopping old movie posters, or studying how alcohol consumption at the highest levels disrupts communication and verbal signals between Buckeye fans and the police orbiting their tailgate parties.

Well done, Wolverines.

And just because this is as good a reason as any to link to one of our favorite EDSBS posts ever...

Space, Bitches.  Space.

(HT: Catie)

UPDATE:  MZone reader Phil sent us this clip which shows Ohio State is also doing some cutting edge research in this "arena" of unmanned flight.