Friday, April 11, 2008
Patents gone wild!!!
Some time ago ... 1997-98 to be exact .... AsiaSat-3 failed to attain geosynchronous orbit due to a failure of one of it's booster motors. The satellite was declared a TOTAL LOSS by the insurance company. Boeing took over the satellite and using the satellites housekeeping thrusters used a lunar flyby to get the satellite into an a proper geosynchronous orbit.
Well, SES Americom had a similar failure and wanted to try the same trick ... however ... it appears Boeing PATENTED THE PROCESS of using a lunar flyby to correct a satellites orbit.
Now it looks as though AMC-14 will become another piece of space junk .... or more than likely once the insurance claim is paid Boeing will call the insurance company and play "Let's Make a Deal!"
#posted by Rob Roschewsk @ 7:15 AM
Comments:
WTF? That would be like me discovering a new shortcut on the way to work, then suing someone if I saw them following me.
