ESA Meteron: Using space internet to control ISS robots

As part of the Meteron project – Multi-purpose End-To-End Robotic Operations Network – astronauts will control the Mocup test robot from ESA’s European Space Operations Centre, Darmstadt, Germany.

Mocup is an acronym of Meteron Operations and Communications Prototype.

Credits: ESA

ESA and NASA have tested a communications protocol that will allow astronauts to control robots from space stations orbiting planets or asteroids.

The test marks the way for a trial-run with an astronaut on the International Space Station next week.

Last week a Space Station user centre at the University of Boulder, USA sent a command to a NASA laptop on the International Space Station to start a script that controlled the Mocup robot at ESA’s ESOC operations centre in Darmstadt, Germany. 

The robot was commanded to move forward and take pictures, which it performed as planned.

Mocup is one of the robots in ESA’s Meteron – Multi-purpose End-To-End Robotic Operations Network – initiative for future missions to the Moon, Mars and other celestial bodies.

Space exploration will most likely involve sending robotic explorers to test the waters on uncharted planets before sending humans to land.
 
In the case of distant planets, these robots could be controlled by astronauts in spacecraft orbiting the planet.

“In these tests we are pretending that Earth is the Moon or Mars,” says Kim Nergaard, Meteron Ground Segment and Operations Manager. (@Kimsy)

Skype May Be Axed: eBay Faces Licence Court Case

The web phone call service Skype may be axed if its owner eBay loses a legal battle with its founders, the parent company has admitted.

More than 480 million people worldwide use Skype to make inexpensive calls over the web, using their broadband connections.

Internet firm eBay bought the popular service for more than £1bn in 2005. Skype enables users to make free calls from PC to PC through their internet connection.

Joltid, a company run by Skype's founders, still owns the technology behind it. It leases the peer-to-peer connection software to eBay.

A row over whether eBay broke its licence agreement could threaten a planned stock market flotation of the service or may force eBay to axe Skype altogether.

Documents submitted to regulators in the United States revealed the extent of the legal wrangles. Despite this action, eBay said it was "confident" about the outcome but if it lost, the "continued operation of Skype's business as currently conducted, would likely not be possible".

Background

eBay bought a controlling share of Skype but Joltid accused eBay of modifying a code used in the system, which it said went against the agreed terms.

As a result, eBay launched legal action at the High Court arguing that the software lease could not be terminated. Joltid then made a counter-claim threatening to pull out of the licence agreement.

The documents filed to the Securities and Exchange Commission reveal eBay is attempting to create new software in order to break its reliance on Joltid.