The "To Keep Up" Wiki

Space Junk part 2; Extending Desktop Apps; Far Side of the Moon

The meeting began with a discussion on space debris and its implications for satellite operations, including India's anti-satellite test and the International Space Station's measures to mitigate debris impacts. The group explored a new space sustainability rating system and addressed insurance challenges for satellites in low Earth orbit. Technical demonstrations of screen mirroring and sharing tools were presented, followed by discussions on climate change's impact on space debris and Chinese lunar exploration.

The meeting focused on space debris and its implications for satellite operations and space travel. Bob presented a video discussing India's anti-satellite test and its contribution to space debris, highlighting the risks and challenges of managing debris in Earth's orbit. The group also discussed the International Space Station's (ISS) shielding and avoidance maneuvers to mitigate debris impacts. Ted explained a new space sustainability rating system developed by MIT and the World Economic Forum, which aims to score satellite launches based on their environmental impact on space debris. The conversation ended with a brief discussion on insurance challenges for satellites in low Earth orbit and potential solutions for debris removal.

Drew demonstrated two screen mirroring and sharing tools: Space Desk and Deskreen. Space Desk, which works on Windows 10/11 over USB or Wi-Fi, allows multiple displays from different devices to be shown simultaneously, though Drew encountered technical difficulties during the demonstration. Deskreen, developed by a Ukrainian creator, offers similar functionality across Windows, Mac OS, and Linux platforms, requiring a USB-C to HDMI adapter for Windows users to create a virtual display. Due to technical issues with Drew's equipment, the demonstration was interrupted, and Steve suggested showing a pre-recorded video while Drew rebooted to complete the presentation later.

The video was about Chinese lunar exploration, highlighting their discovery of Helium 3 and water on the moon, which could be valuable for future lunar bases.

The group discussed climate change's potential impact on space debris, with Ted dismissing the idea as “junk science” and explaining that carbon dioxide radiates in both directions and the sun's effect on the upper atmosphere is the main factor affecting satellite orbits. 

Drew demonstrated how to use screen sharing technology to turn a TV into a computer monitor, explaining that the TV must be a smart TV or have a device like an Amazon Fire Stick with a web browser. He showed how to connect devices wirelessly and use them as additional displays for computers running Windows, Mac, or Linux. Tedpk inquired about using this technology with a Chromebook, and Drew confirmed it would work by loading the necessary software through the Google Play store. The conversation ended with brief discussions about space junk and Tesla's “dog mode” feature, which keeps pets safe and comfortable in the car.