Project West Ford
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Project West Ford (aka Westford Needles and Project Needles) was a test carried out by Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory on behalf of the United States military in 1961 and 1963 to create a ring of copper dipole antennas (2cm long needles) in orbit which would allow global radio communication. After a failed first attempt in 1961 (the needles failed to disperse), the project was eventually successful with the 1963 launch, with radio transmissions carried by the man-made ring. However, the technology was ultimately shelved, partially due to the development of the modern communications satellite and partially due to protests from other scientists.[1] The needles were placed in orbits between 3500 and 3800 km high at 96 and 87 degree inclinations and contributed to Earth's orbital debris.[2] British radio astronomers, together with optical astronomers and the Royal Astronomical Society, protested this action.[3][4] The international protest resulted in a consultation provision included in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.[3] As of 2006 several clumps of the needles are still in orbit[5][6], and occasionally reentering.[7]
[edit] References
- ^ Anthony Kendall (May 2, 2006). Earth's Artificial Ring: Project West Ford (English). DamnInteresting.com. Retrieved on October 16, 2006.
- ^ Position Paper on Space Debris Mitigation - Implementing Zero Debris Creation ZonesPDF (735 KiB) International Academy of Astronautics, 15 October 2005
- ^ a b The Air Force Role in Developing International Outer Space Law page 63, Chapter 4 project West Ford
- ^ SP-4217 Beyond the Ionosphere history.nasa.gov
- ^ Westford dipoles aoe.vt.edu, (note error in 8MHz->8 GHz), 2003-09-18
- ^ deb West Ford - Orbit Data showing orbit and ephemeris for epoch October 15, 2006, heavensabove
- ^ RAE Table of Earth Satellites (MS Word doc) 2000, Extra-page-1 to Extra-page-4, "148 pieces, 92 have decayed"
