NOAA VIDEO FOR YOU

I was watching the SpaceX launch of 10 more Iridium satellites yesterday
and they cut the live feed near the end of the 2nd stage's first burn,
saying something about NOAA restrictions preventing them from continuing
the broadcast. I was like WTF?

As usual, Eric Berger came through with a story on this:

NOAA VIDEO FOR YOU ?
NOAA just prevented SpaceX from showing its rocket in orbit
"SpaceX will be intentionally ending live video coverage of the 2nd
stage."
ERIC BERGER - 3/30/2018, 12:52 PM
https://arstechnica.com/science/2018...-a-rocket-but-
noaa-prevented-some-of-it-from-being-shown/

NOAA's response:
http://www.noaa.gov/media-release/no...-broadcast-of-
spacex-iridium-5-launch

From above:

The National and Commercial Space Program Act requires a
commercial remote sensing license for companies having the
capacity to take an image of Earth while on orbit.

Now that launch companies are putting video cameras on
stage 2 rockets that reach an on-orbit status, all such
launches will be held to the requirements of the law and
its conditions.

SpaceX applied and received a license from NOAA that
included conditions on their capability to live-stream
from space. Conditions on Earth imaging to protect
national security are common to all licenses for launches
with on-orbit capabilities.

This is bull**** on the face of it. There is no way that a wide field
GoPro camera (the cameras SpaceX typically uses for this sort of thing)
could ever have the resolution necessary to cause any "national
securty" damage.

It's curious that all previous Iridium launches were allowed to stream
live through all 10 satellites being deployed. Me thinks that the
Starman "incident" put a bug up some middle level NOAA manager's butt.

Jeff
--
All opinions posted by me on Usenet News are mine, and mine alone.
These posts do not reflect the opinions of my family, friends,
employer, or any organization that I am a member of.

On Saturday, March 31, 2018 at 11:01:44 AM UTC-4, Jeff Findley wrote:
I was watching the SpaceX launch of 10 more Iridium satellites yesterday
and they cut the live feed near the end of the 2nd stage's first burn,
saying something about NOAA restrictions preventing them from continuing
the broadcast. I was like WTF?

As usual, Eric Berger came through with a story on this:

NOAA VIDEO FOR YOU ?
NOAA just prevented SpaceX from showing its rocket in orbit
"SpaceX will be intentionally ending live video coverage of the 2nd
stage."
ERIC BERGER - 3/30/2018, 12:52 PM
https://arstechnica.com/science/2018...-a-rocket-but-
noaa-prevented-some-of-it-from-being-shown/

NOAA's response:
http://www.noaa.gov/media-release/no...-broadcast-of-
spacex-iridium-5-launch

From above:

The National and Commercial Space Program Act requires a
commercial remote sensing license for companies having the
capacity to take an image of Earth while on orbit.

Now that launch companies are putting video cameras on
stage 2 rockets that reach an on-orbit status, all such
launches will be held to the requirements of the law and
its conditions.

SpaceX applied and received a license from NOAA that
included conditions on their capability to live-stream
from space. Conditions on Earth imaging to protect
national security are common to all licenses for launches
with on-orbit capabilities.

This is bull**** on the face of it. There is no way that a wide field
GoPro camera (the cameras SpaceX typically uses for this sort of thing)
could ever have the resolution necessary to cause any "national
securty" damage.

It's curious that all previous Iridium launches were allowed to stream
live through all 10 satellites being deployed. Me thinks that the
Starman "incident" put a bug up some middle level NOAA manager's butt.

Jeff
--
All opinions posted by me on Usenet News are mine, and mine alone.
These posts do not reflect the opinions of my family, friends,
employer, or any organization that I am a member of.

What was the Starman Incident?

In article ,
says...
It's curious that all previous Iridium launches were allowed to stream
live through all 10 satellites being deployed. Me thinks that the
Starman "incident" put a bug up some middle level NOAA manager's butt.

What was the Starman Incident?


The Falcon Heavy launch included a long coast phase in earth orbit
before the final earth departure burn. During that time SpaceX
continued to live stream video of Starman with the 2nd stage rotating
such that the earth kept coming into frame. NOAA is technically in
charge of issuing permits for earth observation satellites. SpaceX
didn't apply for such a permit (since it was the 2nd stage of the launch
vehicle showing the video, not an "actual" payload). Someone at NOAA
clearly was not happy about this incident.

Jeff

--
All opinions posted by me on Usenet News are mine, and mine alone.
These posts do not reflect the opinions of my family, friends,
employer, or any organization that I am a member of.

On 3/31/2018 11:01 AM, Jeff Findley wrote:
I was watching the SpaceX launch of 10 more Iridium satellites yesterday
and they cut the live feed near the end of the 2nd stage's first burn,
saying something about NOAA restrictions preventing them from continuing
the broadcast. I was like WTF?

As usual, Eric Berger came through with a story on this:

NOAA VIDEO FOR YOU ?
NOAA just prevented SpaceX from showing its rocket in orbit
"SpaceX will be intentionally ending live video coverage of the 2nd
stage."
ERIC BERGER - 3/30/2018, 12:52 PM
https://arstechnica.com/science/2018...-a-rocket-but-
noaa-prevented-some-of-it-from-being-shown/

NOAA's response:
http://www.noaa.gov/media-release/no...-broadcast-of-
spacex-iridium-5-launch


What's interesting to me is what if that GoPro camera is on the
satellite not the 2nd stage? Then seems like US restrictions might only
apply when the carriage is still over US airspace? How can NOAA enforce
regulations against foreign sat carriers that are already in orbit?
You'd get "good" pictures until that last sat was ejected.

Yes it's a US rocket being launched by a US corporation, but the
satellite as often as not is non-US and an orbit by definition is
outside US airspace. Seems like it then becomes treaty obligation time
to me rather than US code.

But agreed on the face of it, it is BS. But we've been through this
territory before vis-v-vis ITAR and NASA's NTRS, which had to be swept.
The law should be made more specific. But it will, as they say, require
an act of Congress to fix unless it's purely an administrative regulation.

Suprised it is NOAA rather than NASA or NRO that enforces this one. I
guess because NOAA is part of the Dept. of Commerce?

Dave

On 4/2/2018 3:22 PM, David Spain wrote:
Suprised it is NOAA rather than NASA or NRO that enforces this one. I
guess because NOAA is part of the Dept. of Commerce?


Can't resist this wonderful opportunity for the snide remark...

"Isn't this issue a bit over the head of NOAA?"

*ahem*

Dave

In article , says...

On 3/31/2018 11:01 AM, Jeff Findley wrote:
I was watching the SpaceX launch of 10 more Iridium satellites yesterday
and they cut the live feed near the end of the 2nd stage's first burn,
saying something about NOAA restrictions preventing them from continuing
the broadcast. I was like WTF?

As usual, Eric Berger came through with a story on this:

NOAA VIDEO FOR YOU ?
NOAA just prevented SpaceX from showing its rocket in orbit
"SpaceX will be intentionally ending live video coverage of the 2nd
stage."
ERIC BERGER - 3/30/2018, 12:52 PM
https://arstechnica.com/science/2018...-a-rocket-but-
noaa-prevented-some-of-it-from-being-shown/

NOAA's response:
http://www.noaa.gov/media-release/no...-broadcast-of-
spacex-iridium-5-launch


What's interesting to me is what if that GoPro camera is on the
satellite not the 2nd stage? Then seems like US restrictions might only
apply when the carriage is still over US airspace? How can NOAA enforce
regulations against foreign sat carriers that are already in orbit?
You'd get "good" pictures until that last sat was ejected.

They can only enforce US laws against US corporations. In other words,
any satellite owned and operated by a US company that has a camera on it
that takes a picture of earth must apply for the proper earth
observation permit.

Yes it's a US rocket being launched by a US corporation, but the
satellite as often as not is non-US and an orbit by definition is
outside US airspace. Seems like it then becomes treaty obligation time
to me rather than US code.

The concept of "airspace" doesn't legally apply for satellites that are
in earth orbit. The US deliberately set the precedent when we did NOT
protest Sputnik overflying the US while in orbit.

But agreed on the face of it, it is BS. But we've been through this
territory before vis-v-vis ITAR and NASA's NTRS, which had to be swept.
The law should be made more specific. But it will, as they say, require
an act of Congress to fix unless it's purely an administrative regulation.

Suprised it is NOAA rather than NASA or NRO that enforces this one. I
guess because NOAA is part of the Dept. of Commerce?

From what I understand, the rule dates back to the LANDSAT days. No
doubt it was originally intended to make it harder for "startups" to get
into the earth observation business, which is *big* business. The
satellite views in all of those online maps were paid for.

Jeff
--
All opinions posted by me on Usenet News are mine, and mine alone.
These posts do not reflect the opinions of my family, friends,
employer, or any organization that I am a member of.

David Spain wrote on Mon, 2 Apr 2018 15:22:08
-0400:

On 3/31/2018 11:01 AM, Jeff Findley wrote:
I was watching the SpaceX launch of 10 more Iridium satellites yesterday
and they cut the live feed near the end of the 2nd stage's first burn,
saying something about NOAA restrictions preventing them from continuing
the broadcast. I was like WTF?

As usual, Eric Berger came through with a story on this:

NOAA VIDEO FOR YOU ?
NOAA just prevented SpaceX from showing its rocket in orbit
"SpaceX will be intentionally ending live video coverage of the 2nd
stage."
ERIC BERGER - 3/30/2018, 12:52 PM
https://arstechnica.com/science/2018...-a-rocket-but-
noaa-prevented-some-of-it-from-being-shown/

NOAA's response:
http://www.noaa.gov/media-release/no...-broadcast-of-
spacex-iridium-5-launch


What's interesting to me is what if that GoPro camera is on the
satellite not the 2nd stage? Then seems like US restrictions might only
apply when the carriage is still over US airspace? How can NOAA enforce
regulations against foreign sat carriers that are already in orbit?
You'd get "good" pictures until that last sat was ejected.

Yes it's a US rocket being launched by a US corporation, but the
satellite as often as not is non-US and an orbit by definition is
outside US airspace. Seems like it then becomes treaty obligation time
to me rather than US code.


If it's on a US launcher, US code applies.


--
"It's always different. It's always complex. But at some point,
somebody has to draw the line. And that somebody is always me....
I am the law."
-- Buffy, The Vampire Slayer