SatTrackCam Leiden (b)log: Shear

Tuesday, 21 August 2012

"Spying on the spooks" and other recent media coverage of my activities

Jeff Shear has just published a background piece on amateur satellite observations, largely based on my activities, in the Pacific Standard: "Spying on the Spooks".

Earlier this year, Ann Finkbeiner wrote a similar piece for the "The Last Word on Nothing" science blog: "Watching the Watchers".

A few minor corrections to the "Spying on the Spooks" story: the total number of objects we track is closer to 300 (not 100), and I didn't discover the asteroid (183294) that was named after me: Stefan Kürti/NEAT did.

Excerpt from United Nations resolution 2222 (XXI)

Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies

In order to promote international co-operation in the peaceful exploration and use of outer space, States Parties to the Treaty conducting activities in outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, agree to inform the Secretary-General of the United Nations as well as the public and the international scientific community, to the greatest extent feasible and practicable, of the nature, conduct, locations and results of such activities. On receiving the said information, the Secretary-General of the United Nations should be prepared to disseminate it immediately and effectively.