
Virgin Galactic Unveils Design For SpaceShipTwo - jmorin007
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/01/23/virgin-galactic-unveils-design-for-spaceshiptwo/
======
danw
_the ability to launch low-earth satellites that could literally take some of
the heat out of the planet, by serving as a repository for information
technology._

Reminds me of a very hypothetical idea I heard about a few years ago. Some
hackers wanted to create a hybrid communications satellite/web server that
could host content outside of any legal juristiction. Could you imagine the
RIAA trying to shut down that BitTorrent Tracker?

~~~
kirubakaran
While this is great for free speech etc, how can something that is out of
legal jurisdictions be defended? What if RIAA decides to point a high power
laser at it?

~~~
dcurtis
The RIAA has high powered lasers? I somehow doubt that line item would be
approved by the member companies.

~~~
kirubakaran
You are taking my example rather literally :-) My original question stands:
How do you defend something that is not protected by governments?

~~~
danw
Quite simply, you can't. You only get the benefits of no law and government
alongside the downsides of no infrastructure and protection.

I guess with your laser example other satellite owners, including governments
would be peeved due to the debris. This would likely lead to stricter rules
about space being drawn up.

~~~
daniel-cussen
Governments might start claiming space like they claimed coasts in the 50s.

------
hwork
It's interesting how much more captivating this is compared to anything NASA
is doing currently. The rovers are cool, the fly-bys neat, hubble upgrades,
etc. But this (and similar ventures) put real, albeit rich and crazy, people
into space and that's so... cool. It's tangible.

