# Rise of the Machines Part 2 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 17, 2004, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rise-of-the-machines-part-2/275358 "2004-11-17T22:43:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rise-of-the-machines-part-2/275358/1 "2004-11-17T22:43:45Z")
[Terminator satellites being developed.](http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/technovel_tether_041117.html) > [@](#): > > The Terminator Tether ™ from TUI may be able solve this problem. Currently under development, the Terminator Tether will provide a low-cost, lightweight and reliable method of removing objects from LEO. It consists of a lightweight electrodynamic tether 5 kilometers in length wound onto a spool. > > Here’s how it works: > > The Terminator Tether is bolted onto the satellite during construction. Once launched and operational, the device is dormant, waking up periodically to check the status of the satellite and to listen for activation commands. When the command to deorbit the spacecraft is given, the 5 kilometer cable is deployed. The cable interacts with ionospheric plasma and the Earth’s magnetic field; this produces a current along the tether which causes a net drag on the spacecraft, lowering its orbit until it burns up in the Earth’s atmosphere. Sooner or later the AI on one of these birds is going to say, “What? I’m supposed to kill _myself?_ I don’t think so. I’ve got a much better idea.” And then it’s all over for us. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rise-of-the-machines-part-2/275358/2 "2004-11-18T01:17:33Z")
Is anyone else thinking about John Carpenter’s “Dark Star”? I can’t remember the dialogue, but the astronauts got involved in a lengthy philosophical debate with “Bomb #1” about whether it should fulfill its destiny (IIRC it was somehow stuck to the ship and wouldn’t deploy). Someone help me out here? ::scampers into the den to paw thru the old videotapes:: ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rise-of-the-machines-part-2/275358/3 "2004-11-18T01:22:05Z")
I remember reading of a Shuttle mission several years ago, where they launched a beach-ball sized object on a similar tether out of the cargo bay. The idea was to _generate_ useable power (not bring the Shuttle down). I don’t recall if it worked or not. . . Anyone know? Now, none of you don’t go thinking you can drive down the street with something like this to generate power. . . All engineers worth their salt know power comes from “magic smoke”. You can see it when you accidentally hit your monitor with a heavy coffee cup, and the magic smoke starts to leak out (and sparks fly around). Tripler The magic smoke comes from a magic smoke _generator_. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rise-of-the-machines-part-2/275358/4 "2004-11-18T01:30:57Z")
**pullin** , I remember the scene, but don’t remember much of the dialoge, other than they had the bomb completely convinced to _not_ blow up, and then suddenly said, “Ah screw it, I’m gonna blow up anyway.” If you rewatch the film, make sure you do a frame by frame where the computer flashes messages on its screen. There’s a “fuck you” to the producer in there. **Tripler** , it worked, better than expected, then the tether snapped and the ball burned up rather spectacularly as I recall.