Quote:
Originally posted by FlamesAddiction+Nov 2 2004, 06:45 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (FlamesAddiction @ Nov 2 2004, 06:45 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-RougeUnderoos@Nov 2 2004, 06:28 PM
I've never heard that story about the sattelite -- you have any more info on that?
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It's called RADARSAT-2.
http://www.ccrs.nrcan.gc.ca/ccrs/data/sats.../rsatndx_e.html
http://www.ccrs.nrcan.gc.ca/ccrs/data/sats.../mission_e.html
The U.S. refused to launch it because they think it is a threat to their national security:
http://www.exn.ca/Stories/1999/02/18/53.asp
http://www.cbc.ca/story/news/?/news/...8/cansat990218
Canada has been pioneering this technology longer than anyone else and is far ahead of any other nation in this regard. It is by necessity since we are a natural resource based economy and this technology helps us manage them. As a bonus, we also have the ability to spy on countries from space better than anyone else. Just like the Arrow, the U.S. can't stand it. [/b][/quote]
There's something missing from your stream of events though isn't there?
The NASA refusal is dated 1999 according to your links.
In 2000, Boeing, an American company, was awarded a contract to launch Radarsat-2 via a Delta rocket in April 2003 from Vandeburg Air Force Base in California. (Hey, I drove by their last year).
http://www.spaceref.ca/news/viewpr.html?pid=2135
Secondly, Radarsat-2 is scheduled for launch in late 2005 according to the schedule of Vandenburg AFB (at the bottom):
http://mocc.vandenberg.af.mil/launchsched.asp
Here's some pictures of the satellite being developed in 2004.
http://www.mda.ca/radarsat-2/news/rsat2_dev.shtml
So . . . . America IS effectively going to launch it.
Cowperson