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FBI Mysteriously Closes New Mexico Observatory

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Re: FBI Mysteriously Closes New Mexico Observatory

#81

Post by Sephr »

linksnapzz wrote: post #73
projectileboy wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for the link. I haven't seen the book, but I know when I took a computational physics class as an undergrad (~25 years ago), there was a definite overlap between the modeling necessary to understand stellar collapse, and the modeling necessary to build better nuclear weapons.

A late friend who worked on type II supernova simulations was once invited to talk about his team's software with some gentlemen at an NNSA lab, Los Alamos or Livermore or Sandia (I forget which one.) At the conclusion of the talk, the DOE guys said appreciative things about the current work, but also pointed out that certain avenues of investigation into certain characteristics might lead to the gov't declaring this…

Did they attempt to open source the software?

Re: FBI Mysteriously Closes New Mexico Observatory

#82

Post by ams6110 »

detaro wrote: post #30
rfugger wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do RCS and NOTAM stand for? Also, is there a link where you can, as you say, "pull" this data, or is that from a non-public system? Thanks.

RCS = Radar Cross Section, so they are measuring how a plane appears on radar in various scenarios. NOTAM = Notice to Airmen, info bulletins about all kinds of things relevant to air traffic (from "this area is off limits temporarily" over "this airport has a broken navigation beacon" to "there's a festival here that's allowed to point lasers at the sky") EDIT: In the US can be fetched from https://pilotweb.nas.faa.g…

You'll note that NOTAMs and also METARs (weather reports) are written in a very terse, heavily abbreviated syntax that seems to originate from teletype/telegraph days.

Re: FBI Mysteriously Closes New Mexico Observatory

#83

Post by Cthulhu_ »

evil-olive wrote: post #67
yasp wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What kinds of places were you told not to look? (I'm guessing you couldn't physically point it at targets on the ground, so I assume certain sections of the sky.) Who was it that was commanding you not to look?

I work adjacent to some satellites that do visual-spectrum imaging of the earth, and even we fall under these regulations. In addition to all the NOAA licensing for imaging the ground, you need extra licenses for taking pictures of space. (it's useful, for example, to image the moon as a way of calibrating cameras & telescopes without atmospheric interference, and tracking stars is one of the most reliable ways to de…

> but only after offering it for sale to the Air Force at a commercially reasonable price.

That sounds like a business model - what is a commercially reasonable price, and where do I sign up?

Re: FBI Mysteriously Closes New Mexico Observatory

#84

Post by Cthulhu_ »

codewritinfool wrote: post #78
lawlessone wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anyone can look at those though, they can't really hide them

Not as easily if they're equipped with this: http://www.bisbos.com/space_misty.html

Wouldn't that also obscure the camera? I don't actually know what spy sattelites would be used for besides visual imaging aimed at Earth.

Re: FBI Mysteriously Closes New Mexico Observatory

#85

Post by fractaleyes »

colanderman wrote: post #7
yasp wrote: post #2

Longer article at https://www.alamogordonews.com/story/news/local/2018/09/07/s... Anyone have speculations on what this could be?

Apparently the post office was shut down too [1]. Maybe something dangerous/destructive/sensitive was mailed to/from the observatory? Would explain the feds (since post office is federal) and the seemingly thorough search of the property (crews on towers, etc.). [1] https://www.abqjournal.com/1219922/nm-solar-observatory-clos...

When I was working at GE, we received a suspicious white powder substance in the mail that was treated as Anthrax. The HAZMAT team quarantined the workers in the room with the substance and the whole event was over in a few hours. Mind you, the substance turned out to not be Anthrax, so that could explain the timeline. My only question is why there was no mention from the USPS about that? The only thing we hear from the USPS is that they don't know why they have to evacuate, and were relocated to a city 30 mins out to work the mail there. It's not like the idea of sending a substance like that is new, so why all the secrecy a week later?
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