An RTOS is an obvious advantage. I wonder what the disadvantages of it were, as I assume they would have considered this. Expense? Resources? Experience? All of the above?

Adding more people to a project does not necessarily increase the chances for success. And, since the Planetary Society has a lot of educational outreach, I'm guessing that they included a lot of relative novices that learned a *hell* of a lot from the successes, but even more from the failures.

Anyways, I include this Planetary Society blurb because I believe this is one of the pathways to the solar system.

"Through this proof-of-concept mission, we will use CubeSats to open new paths beyond Earth and, one day, potentially to other planets with an inexpensive, inexhaustible means of propulsion: photons, solar energy in its purest form."

No. It wasn't.

Sometimes one needs Real Engineering(tm). This is an engineering test. To get to the point where Real Science(c) can get done.

Incorrect.

And the googles.

sr

“My Eyes! The googles do nothing!”

I did (wipes screen).

Hah! Excellent summary of a free press!

So that's what happened to the disappearance albuterol, and the tripling or more of the price of its replacements. From your link I note, "Hendeles noted that CFC inhalers release negligible amounts of the propellant, and do not pose a threat to ozone depletion. However, the United States joined more than 185 other countries in signing the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty requiring complete withdrawal of all CFC products."

Hmm. Mommy-state and Daddy-state. The Ying and Yang of how we control ourselves. Or, would that be better described as "Bi-polar"?

I'm going to have to look up my old copy of that. That story stirred a few dregs of xenophobia in me. A ring of rocks around the solar system; just perfect for flinging onto a world. In a few centuries, we may have that ability.
 
Now i'm really scared...

Or turn it into an art installation. Get someone old school like Andy Warhol. If you got someone modern they *would* paint them like dicks.

Thank you. I needed that.

I'll find you a link to a video of the posting.

And how about a battleship in space? Or a train in space? It reminds me of our patent office, where any everyday thing "but on the internet" gets you a shiny new long number.