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back to article Antarctic boffins hope stratospheric gravity wave hunter returns to Earth

Boffins in Antarctica are nervously watching the skies for the planned descent of an instrument package hoisted into the stratosphere on January 1 with the aim of seeking out gravity waves. The experiment, called SPIDER, combines a polarimeter designed to look for signals that would either validate or exclude “GUT-scale” ( …

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  1. John Robson Silver badge

    GPS

    Presumably it will be reporting GPS on the way down, so getting reasonably close should be doable - to the extent that a small radio beacon could then be used to home in?

    I know the antarctic isn't exactly known as a holiday destination due to potentially inclement weather, but I'd have thought we could get to a reasonably well known location within a week?!

    0 0 Reply
  2. imanidiot Silver badge
    Black Helicopters

    It WILL return to earth

    There is no doubt it'll return to earth. One way or the other. Maybe the black helicopter squad will intervene to stop them finding the truth about the universe?

    1 0 Reply
  3. Peter Clarke 1
    Alien

    Obligatory Film Referenece

    Searching for some THING buried in the Antarctic- what could possibly go wrong?

    5 0 Reply
  4. m4r35n357 Bronze badge

    I think you mean gravitational waves

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitational_wave

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_wave

    1 0 Reply
  5. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
    Headmaster

    The craft's six 30cm-apeture telescope inserts are helium-cooled to 1.5˚ K. The instruments on board SPIDER include six cameras

    It's "aperture", and I feel there is some repetition in the phrasing.

    1 1 Reply
  6. Pirate Dave Silver badge
    Pirate

    Well

    "with no way to precisely control the craft's descent"

    If it doesn't have a Playmonaut to guide it back, it's no wonder...

    Interesting science, though.

    2 0 Reply

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