Hackers Launching Satellite to Evade Internet Censorship

[beer]

(Image Credit: BBC)

A group of hackers plans to launch a separate internet using amateur satellites and $130 ground stations.

What do you do when Hollywood and the government team up to enforce censorship on the internet with the likes of SOPA and Protect-IP? Launch another government-free internet, of course.

During the Chaos Communication Congress in Berlin back in August -- an annual hacker conference sponsored by the German Chaos Computer Club -- a team of German hackers revealed plans to launch their own communication satellites into space in order to create a separate, "uncensorable" network called the Hackerspace Global Grid (HGG).

"The first goal is an uncensorable Internet in space. Let's take the Internet out of the control of terrestrial entities," said activist Nick Farr.

According to the report, the team will start by launching three prototype ground stations in the first half of 2012, and then launch at least one satellite into low orbit to communicate specifically with those stations. "It's kind of a reverse GPS," explained Armin Bauer, an HGG participant. "GPS uses satellites to calculate where we are, and this tells us where the satellites are. We would use GPS coordinates but also improve on them by using fixed sites in precisely-known locations."

The group stated that the ground stations will cost around $130 USD each to establish, but the satellite itself will require a substantial amount of financial backing, as it will need to hitch a ride with a rocket rather than float up into the cold void via a balloon-based solution. Additional reports claim that the satellite will likely be based on work done to develop low-cost satellites by the Amateur Radio Satellite (AMSAT) association in England and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.

Given the new Internet would eventually rely on an array of low orbit amateur satellites, there's speculation that the overall network stability would be spotty at best, as these satellites typically orbit every ninety minutes. That means there will be times when they won't be visible to tracking devices.

"That's not to say they can't be used for communications but obviously only for the relatively brief periods that they are in your view," explains one professor. "It's difficult to see how such satellites could be used as a viable communications grid other than in bursts, even if there were a significant number in your constellation."

News of the possible pirate internet arise as the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) bill makes its way through the Senate. Along with the PROTECT IP act, the duo gives content owners the right to take down websites they believe are infringing on their copyright. That includes mere links to content that possibly infringes on a copyright, and if that link isn't removed as requested, then the copyright owner can have the website's advertising and transaction revenue severed. Even more, the domain name itself - whether it's local or overseas -- could even be thrown on a blacklist, leaving the site inaccessible.

Last week Farr said that SOPA is a perfect example of why the group desires a separate network. In addition to launching their satellite and three prototype ground stations, the team will expand the network by distributing working models of the prototype ground station to those attending the next Chaos Communication Congress in 2012. The stations will also be sold on a non-profit basis.

"We're aiming for 100 euros (£84) per ground station," Bauer added. "That is the amount people tell us they would be willing to spend."

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Quick! Forget the blackouts! All the tech giants chip in and make your own awsome internet!

[Sonar]

there has to be some sort of moderation. If theres going to be a new internet - they need to get rid of things like Child porn...

[beer]

there has to be some sort of moderation. If theres going to be a new internet - they need to get rid of things like Child porn...

Agreed. Without moderation I think things will get ugly pretty fast...

[grouchysmurf]

I hate to say it, but if people want to fight SOPA it is real easy to do...

Turn off the computer. Do not use the web. Do not buy, sell, or even view.

After a couple of days and millions of lost ad revenue, I guarantee that

SOPA will cease to be.

[beer]

I hate to say it, but if people want to fight SOPA it is real easy to do...

Turn off the computer. Do not use the web. Do not buy, sell, or even view.

After a couple of days and millions of lost ad revenue, I guarantee that

SOPA will cease to be.

That may work but the difficult part is organizing and getting people to commit. I think some people will go crazy without the internet like that South Park episode Over Logging (S12E06).

I think if the flim/music industry could have their way, they would probably destroy the Internet, and have everyone go back to the good old days.

[mrsmith]

there has to be some sort of moderation.

Unless I missed something no where in the article did it said anything about "no moderation" and as far as the blackouts go, have they not heard about geosynchronous orbits?!? It wouldnt take too many satilites to cover the entire globe if they were placed in geosynchronous orbits for their particular quadrants.

[myidisbb]

wouldnt it be most cost effective to jsut take over a satellite that is not being used anymore?

[beer]

wouldnt it be most cost effective to jsut take over a satellite that is not being used anymore?

I am guessing the government or whoever owns it originally can reclaim it as their property.

[Alanon]

A new network will in time become just like the old. That's not to say that this is a bad thing. To the contrary, it's the best step that can be taken now. The key is in concurrent changes of the internet networks themselves. If we had a shift in goals every 30 years or so, and new networks popping up, no one would be able to monopolise it like the copyright groups are trying to do now. And when this new network becomes old, sluggish and monopolised (like with Google, Miscrosoft, as you can't be online without encountering them), you kill it. And the circle of internet life continues in constant renewal. Cell growth, casting off of dead tissue. Somewhat organically imbued into our psyche, and perhaps the only manageable choice. :rockon:

[myidisbb]

there is a lot of crap up in space not being used anymore so it is possible

[beer]

A new network will in time become just like the old. That's not to say that this is a bad thing. To the contrary, it's the best step that can be taken now. The key is in concurrent changes of the internet networks themselves. If we had a shift in goals every 30 years or so, and new networks popping up, no one would be able to monopolise it like the copyright groups are trying to do now. And when this new network becomes old, sluggish and monopolised (like with Google, Miscrosoft, as you can't be online without encountering them), you kill it. And the circle of internet life continues in constant renewal. Cell growth, casting off of dead tissue. Somewhat organically imbued into our psyche, and perhaps the only manageable choice. :rockon:

Yep.

They definitely got to keep the innovation going, because I think different networks of information will help keep information in check and free. Even today, some tv news media(and even online sites like CNN) still play their little mind games trying to control the way their audience see the news and current events. Their articles might be based on facts, but their bias attitudes and explanations are so blatant sometimes it changes the meanings of things completely(CNN is a good example of this.

If SOPA can censor/blacklist websites with unauthorized copyrighted material, why not TV stations that violates the same rules, right?

[beer]

there is a lot of crap up in space not being used anymore so it is possible

I didn't say it was "not possible." I was merely explaining that you can't just takeover property that belongs to someone else.

[myidisbb]

well they are hackers and pirates afterall

[beer]

well they are hackers and pirates afterall

I think pirating physical property may be just a little more difficult than pirating intellectual property. If it was so easy, why haven't they done it yet?

[myidisbb]

they wasnt aiming high enough. basiclaly they didnt need too invent a new internet. not as frieendly righ tnow with usa governmetn out of contorl with sopa and forcing erupeans to do the same

[voidoid]

..., have they not heard about geosynchronous orbits?!? It wouldnt take too many satilites to cover the entire globe if they were placed in geosynchronous orbits for their particular quadrants.

If you use geosynchronous orbits for parking the sats then you must use much more expensive equipment on the ground especially for a 2-way service. Geosynchronous orbits are about 36,000 km above the earth whilst Low Earth Orbiting sats are I think only a couple of hundred kilometers high. Here in Australia the cost of 2-way sat equipment for receiving geosynchronous orbit satellite transmissions is around $2,000. I had a new one installed about 2 weeks ago at no cost -- the government pays here if you can't get a broadband service any other way.

Also, putting anything in geosynchronous orbit is very expensive as are the satellites which must have a huge capacity to be of much use.

[duyne]

I hate to say it, but if people want to fight SOPA it is real easy to do...

Turn off the computer. Do not use the web. Do not buy, sell, or even view.

After a couple of days and millions of lost ad revenue, I guarantee that

SOPA will cease to be.

That may work but the difficult part is organizing and getting people to commit. I think some people will go crazy without the internet like that South Park episode Over Logging (S12E06).

I think if the flim/music industry could have their way, they would probably destroy the Internet, and have everyone go back to the good old days.

To get people to commit is easy. Just spread the virus to stop connection to internet. Let it have timer or something which can be remote to switch it on or off. Let see if the government or the capitalist can do anything. This will destroy the ad revenue. The productivity also will be fall down. Then we will laugh...hahahaha

[Ambrocious]

Sorry that I didn't read all of these comments but I was thinking....it would be incredibly easy for the USA to just blow these pirate satalites out of orbit since they have effectively weaponized space already (Strategic Defense Initiative a.k.a. Star Wars). The United States government denies that this is operational...

Robert M. Bowman who is now standing firmly against this global hostile takeoever was involved in the Star Wars project and he is found in the documentary known as "Fall of the Republic" speaking out against all of the crazy stuff happening. Just a tad bit of info here...