Backup Data on the Moon?

PC Magazine ^ | July 22, 2003 | Sebastian Rupley

[Bubba_Leroy]

Locate backup data on the moon? Now that sounds like a rock-solid business model.

However strange the idea may sound, TransOrbital of La Jolla, California is taking it and other proposals for marrying high-tech and the Earth's only natural satellite seriously. The company is getting ready to send a commercial mission to the moon and intends to send servers, data, handheld computers, and digital cameras along for the ride.

[July 4th]

"The moon is a pretty safe place to store your data," he says.

I dunno...there are quite a few craters up there. And a huge temperature differential between day and night.

[Ramius]

and there is also always the threat of a natural disaster here on earth, such as a small asteroid hitting the planet.

Uhh... yeah. Rocks never hit the moon.

[Cyber Liberty]

Look, before we get into the nitty gritty of thoroughly debunking this as it so richly deserves, somebody needs to ask the question:

Is this humor?

[poindexter]

Cosmic rays, solar wind....they'll have to _bury_ the stuff on the moon.

[Cyber Liberty]

What kills me about that line is the same thing as the B-52 coffeepot: That sucker could brew at 10G, while the crew is compressed into a 1/4 inch wafer on the floor.

Who in the heck is going to look at the data if the Earth's been gobsmacked by an asteroid? Dolphins?

[rs79bm]

Let's hope I'm not being naive, but don't we have enough room here to create backup centers? I mean, if we have a catostrophe here on earth, it's not like it's going to do any good to have backups on the moon.

[kAcknor]

So is there any point in storing data on a server on the moon?

kAcknor Sez:

 I can't think of anything much more useless than a three month old backup tape, let alone one that's been on the moon for ages. The only person wishing to see one is a lawyer looking for incriminating evidence in email.

On the other hand, if it WERE on the moon, it would be an interesting answer to the subpoena. ;)

Got a long ladder you SOB?

"bISovbejbe'DI' tImer" (When in doubt, surprise them.)

Have you checked the *bang_list today?

[Ramius]

That, and the latency of the connection would be out of this world (sic).

In reviewing my own disaster plans, somebody asked the question: "so what do we do if the bay area (where our HQ is) gets hit with a nuclear weapon? How soon can we be back up and running?" ... I didn't quite know what to say, other than "well... I can have the survivors in other cities able to keep working without interruption". Yeesh, it would be so darn inconvenient in the work day, and all.

[#3Fan]

In reviewing my own disaster plans, somebody asked the question: "so what do we do if the bay area (where our HQ is) gets hit with a nuclear weapon? How soon can we be back up and running?"

"Well, it took civilization 10,000 years to get from early agriculture to the Information Age. So I'd say we'd be back up no later than July 23, 12003."

[Ramius]

Actually, after little calculator work, it seems like the additional latency of the connection is only about 1200ms, each way.

[Ramius]

hehehe... for the bay area, though, it could be a little longer. They never quite got to "civilized" in the first place.

[VadeRetro]

Got a long ladder you SOB?

We have enough lawyers to reach the moon if they can just stay up on each other's shoulders.

[RightWhale]

Licenses, permits. Space entrepreneurs pay attention! This is the major stumbling block to private enterprise in outer space. You can take your own stuff into space and bring it back if you get the right permits from the right agancies, but you can't pick up a rock and bring it back. You won't get a permit for that, and you won't get funding without a permit. No investment $$$ = no business.

Scoff at permits all you want, the technical challenges and the business plans are small hurdles by comparison.

[Cyber Liberty]

That's not bad. What's 2.4 seconds round-trip among friends?

[Rebelbase]

It will be interesting to see how they fake this.

[#3Fan]

hehehe... for the bay area, though, it could be a little longer. They never quite got to "civilized" in the first place.

I think their height of civilization occured right before that hippie song "San Francisco" came out. :^)

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Sounds like offshore outsourcing is really getting out of hand.

[kAcknor]

We have enough lawyers to reach the moon if they can just stay up on each other's shoulders.

kAcknor Sez:

I heard that lab rats were asked, but there were just some things they wouldn't do...

""DujlIj yIvoq." (Trust your instincts)

Have you checked the *bang_list today?

[onedoug]

Moonfill.