A Russian rocket launched Monday, April 24, is carrying the first of three small, spherical satellites developed at MIT to the International Space Station — a major step toward building space-based robotic telescopes and other systems. The MIT SPHERES project — the acronym stands for Synchronized Position Hold Engage Re-orient Experimental Satellites — involves satellites about the size of volleyballs that are designed to float weightless in space while maintaining a precise position. A gang of such instruments, floating free in space, could serve as parts of a massive telescope looking for planets near other stars.
Site – http://www.sflorg.com
