Gaia satellite launched to map Milky Way

[ack]

A billion euros to map a billion stars using a billion-pixel camera - that should be fascinating, and will only take 5 years to complete

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25426424
http://www.spacenews.com/article/la...-launched-on-five-year-galaxy-mapping-mission

 

[andromedaaudio]

One euro per star , a bargain .
Great mission look forward reading about the results in the future

 

[ack]

Not to dampen the enthusiasm, but some reports indicate that the NSA and GCHQ - after having successfully staved off terrorist attacks by EU agencies, the Israeli gov't and Angela Merkel herself - have now apparently tapped into Gaia's systems, in order to identify and prevent attacks from newly-identified VOMETs (Variable-Orbit Massive-Espionage Trekker) trekking the Galaxy. Internal documents outline a vast, clandestine surveillance and invasion plan spanning centuries - allegedly dating back to the dinosaur era, with the first real evidence dubbed The Star Of Bethlehem - after droves of data recently uncovered by the civilian SETI@home program. The agencies are particularly eerie of the undetectable fragments that ISON broke up into, and have all their eyes turned onto them. We are in good hands.

 

[treitz3]

Other than that, I am excited to see what this launch brings. Do you by chance know if it will try to map the mega black hole?

Tom