[DriftRegion]

Anyone know more about the payload? Here's what I've found: It's carrying the "Blue Ring Pathfinder Payload", part of the "Dark-Sky 1 Mission"

> Dark-Sky 1 is jointly funded by DIU and Blue Origin. [5]

DIU is "The Pentagon’s commercial technology arm, the Defense Innovation Unit"

[1] https://www.blueorigin.com/news/blue-ring-pathfinder-payload

[2] https://www.diu.mil/latest/companies-selected-for-diu-orbita...

[3] https://www.meritalk.com/articles/diu-orbital-logistics-awar...

[4] https://www.geekwire.com/2024/blue-origin-ring-darksky-1/

[5] https://spacenews.com/defense-innovation-unit-awards-three-c...

[rubzah]

"Dark Sky" funded by the Pentagon. Sounds chipper.

[findthewords]

If there's anything in the name, I would guess an anti-satellite EMP.

[baq]

They did meaningful mission badges in NROL a few decades ago, someone found the birds thanks to that and they stopped. Best to assume nothing.

[aa-jv]

If that were the case it'd be just another treaty violation from out of control spooks.

[lupusreal]

China is testing FOBS weapons, any relevant treaty is already a joke.

[aa-jv]

"We broke the treaty because they broke the treaty" fails as an argument when Both Sides™ use it, though.

[lupusreal]

It doesn't really matter if the argument is morally satisfying.

[raverbashing]

I wonder if it might need some extra mass simulators (probably not depending on how heavy the payload is)