# NASA to launch XCOM **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 20, 2019, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasa-to-launch-xcom/838975 "2019-08-20T23:41:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2019, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasa-to-launch-xcom/838975/1 "2019-08-20T23:41:22Z")
NASA is launching a new telecommunication satellite based on x-rays instead of radio waves. So naturally, they’ve called it XCOM. [This is their mission badge](https://9gag.com/gag/aVY4qed/nrl-send-a-satellite-named-xcom-into-space-and-they-also-have-an-official-xcom-inspired-project-badge). So the next time you hear someone ask what, if anything, the Trump administration have done right, this here’ll be item one on the one item list. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2019, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasa-to-launch-xcom/838975/2 "2019-08-21T00:11:48Z")
Hello, Commander. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2019, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasa-to-launch-xcom/838975/3 "2019-08-21T00:21:04Z")
Not really related to the OP, but I wanted to share this. I started up a new game of XCOM2 last night. First mission is to rescue a scientist. His name is Dr. Nick Dixon. I fucking love random name generators. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2019, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasa-to-launch-xcom/838975/4 "2019-08-21T02:39:21Z")
So, why an X-ray communications sat? I mean, theoretically, you could get insane bandwidth from X-rays, but you can already get all you need from microwave (or infrared or visible, if you must). And X-rays are really tough to work with, including not making it through the atmosphere, so this could only be good for space-to-space, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2019, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasa-to-launch-xcom/838975/5 "2019-08-21T02:57:12Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > So, why an X-ray communications sat? I mean, theoretically, you could get insane bandwidth from X-rays, but you can already get all you need from microwave (or infrared or visible, if you must). And X-rays are really tough to work with, including not making it through the atmosphere, so this could only be good for space-to-space, anyway. Because then you get to call it XCOM, duh. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2019, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasa-to-launch-xcom/838975/6 "2019-08-21T15:09:33Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > So, why an X-ray communications sat? I mean, theoretically, you could get insane bandwidth from X-rays, but you can already get all you need from microwave (or infrared or visible, if you must). And X-rays are really tough to work with, including not making it through the atmosphere, so this could only be good for space-to-space, anyway. It’s experimental: > **[NASA set to demonstrate X-ray communications in space](https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/783366)** > > A new experimental type of deep space communications technology is scheduled to be demonstrated on the International Space Station this spring. > [@](#): > > X-rays have much shorter wavelengths than both infrared and radio. This means that, in principle, XCOM can send more data for the same amount of transmission power. The X-rays can broadcast in tighter beams, thus using less energy when communicating over vast distances. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2019, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasa-to-launch-xcom/838975/7 "2019-08-21T15:48:13Z")
So they comunicate with Fido? “Comunico con Fido”), as the XCOM guys in the game watch with Fido (“Vigilo con Fido”) I always thought that Fido was Central Officer Bradford’s pet. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasa-to-launch-xcom/838975/8 "2019-08-22T00:56:20Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Hello, Commander. If NASA spokespeople go on TV in the coming months and they don’t sport a bitchin’ sweater, heads will have to fucking roll. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasa-to-launch-xcom/838975/9 "2019-08-22T23:29:04Z")
OK, it’s experimental. But it’s not something that will soon be practical. It’s not even the next thing after something that will soon be practical, or the thing after the next thing. It’s so far from being practical that part of me suspects that the whole purpose of the experiment was just because someone wanted to be involved in something called “XCOM”. Or in other words, what **Atamasama** said. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasa-to-launch-xcom/838975/10 "2019-08-22T23:42:37Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > OK, it’s experimental. But it’s not something that will soon be practical. It’s not even the next thing after something that will soon be practical, or the thing after the next thing. It’s so far from being practical that part of me suspects that the whole purpose of the experiment was just because someone wanted to be involved in something called “XCOM”. > > Or in other words, what **Atamasama** said. I’m not reading any worthwhile criticism there, Commander.