German Robot On ISS Does Not Work

[najab]

A robot recently installed on the International Space Station does not respond to signals emitted from Earth-based controllers, local media reported Wednesday.<p>An undisclosed source at the Russian Mission Control Center was quoted by the ITAR-TASS news agency as saying the German robotic device, called Rokviss, has been able to send a signal to Earth, but it cannot pick up a reply. German and Russian specialists will switch on Rokviss several more times in the near future to test it, the source added.<br /><p>Evil SpaceDaily link.</p></p>

 

[davp99]

I'm Surprised, German Mechanical Products are Usually the Best Money can buy, must be a Electronic problem...now if it was a French Device...<img src="/images/icons/crazy.gif" /><br /><br />I laugh every time the French send out their Aircraft carrier, and it always has to get towed back in..<img src="/images/icons/cool.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="4">Dave..</font> </div>

 

[elguapoguano]

That is a pretty funny mental picture, do the French really have to have thier lone Aircraft Carrier towed back to port all the time? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#ff0000"><u><em>Don't let your sig line incite a gay thread ;>)</em></u></font> </div>

 

[nacnud]

yep<br />

 

[najab]

Well, not <b>all</b> the time...just every now and then.<p>Do a Google on the Charles de Gualle. You'll find plenty of info - here's one link.</p>

 

[vogon13]

What does FRANCE(!) need with a nuclear powered aircraft carrier? Especially one that doesn't work?<br /><br />What was that?.....Oh, yeah..... forgot about that. Just a sec., I gotta' get back to my post....<br /><br />They might have to sink the Rainbow Warrior, again, I have just been informed.<br /><br />Anyhow, back to the Deutch Electronenroboflugoeisterflappenplatz-u-lator, it's probably just another software glitch. Billy Gates and his boys will most likely get called in and they will have everything working tickety-boo in about 80 months. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[elguapoguano]

yeah, but Zvezda was delayed what about a year or so, then they found those cracks in the fuel lines on the Shuttle's, that delay cost about 6-8 months, then we lost Columbia, which has pushed back the timetable another 3 years. Now they want to have it fully operational about 2010, so really thats about right. Had those things not happend. ISS would be about where it should be right now... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#ff0000"><u><em>Don't let your sig line incite a gay thread ;>)</em></u></font> </div>

 

[davp99]

One more thing about our funny french friends...sorry about the OT...but i can't resist<br /><br />THAT the French version of the Secret Service might be even less effective than France's military forces. When President Jacques Chirac arrived in Dakar, Senegal, yesterday, at least two members of his security detail were pickpocketed. Among the pilfered possessions: a camera and a cellphone. We hope they didn't lose their guns .<img src="/images/icons/crazy.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="4">Dave..</font> </div>

 

[frodo1008]

Yep, those funny French…<br /><br />While I am an American living in Southern California, I do grow almost as tired of French bashing as I do NASA bashing!!<br /><br />Lets see how badly off those poor French really are:<br /><br />(1) We recently had a terrible accident on the Metrolink train system here in Los Angeles. Someone drove his car on to the tracks in an aborted suicide attempt and derailed several trains, killing 11 people and injuring some 200. The initial Metrolink train was doing about 70 mph at the time (about as fast as such trains are allowed to go). Now those poor backward French Railways travel at more than TWICE this velocity all over France (and even directly to England through the Chunnel) and have no accidents!! This is because the backward French have seen to it to expend enough money to make it impossible to drive or even walk onto the Railway at any point. Those poor French….<br />(2) While the French have a large Green party, almost all (if not actually all) of their power comes from nuclear power. I understand that they are even working on such fast breeder systems as we abandoned (not do to technical problems, but simple politics). Such power simply means that power does not have to be shut off in winter when the coal freezes into 100 ton lumps. Once again, those poor backward French….<br />(3) Arienspace and Airbus, European space and aircraft cooperative efforts which are to a great extent heavily supported by the French government and private interests have to a great extent taken the lead from the US efforts in both these fields in the commercial sectors at least. Most commercial satellites are now launched by Arienspace, and Airbus just last year built more commercial aircraft than the US did!! Of course, once again, those poor backward French…<br /><br />I find it difficult not to greatly admire the “Old Europeans” who just in the last century were killing each other by the millions, and have now learned to get along well enough t

 

[mousebot]

Yes those silly French, they may be able to build airplanes but for some reason they can't afford fans?<br /><br /><br />French Die in Heat Wave Texans Call 'Summer'<br />http://www.gruntdoc.com/archives/000319.php<br /><br />

 

[nacnud]

If you took away Texans aircon I wonder how many of the old and frail would still be able to cope.

 

[no_way]

Ok, incidentally, i happened to be in Texas a couple of years ago sometime in January. One day there was _snow_. I wouldnt know, but locals claimed they havent seen snow coming down in decades.<br />So it was a bizarre sight to see roadsides littered with crashed cars just because of slight snowfall in the morning. You see, i happen to come from a place where we occassionally get several meters of snow in January and we are still able to drive. Strange that, huh ? those funny little french ...

 

[mousebot]

Your right, Texans love their air conditioning, and don't forget iced tea. Unfortunately it's true what you say about snow and ice, I'd say 90% don't have chains for their tires and even if they did they'd need to watch a PBS special to figure out how to put them on. Gets real entertaining every ten years or so. With global warming coming on maybe we should put out an instruction manual on surviving the heat, cost is a new set of tire chains.

 

[mousebot]

Alright you got me, I haven't actually seen snow in more than ten years so I was guessing on the chains. Most cars these days have all weather tires good for light snow but snow isn't our problem, we get ice more than we get snow. Texans just don't handle ice very well.<br /> As to the French they had a terrible tragedy and it's poor taste to poke fun at it. I can certainly understand a poor reaction to unusual circumstances. I doubt Americans or Texans or the French will stop being impressed with themselves anytime soon but maybe we can have a sense of humor about it.<br /><br />