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I found this blog on the ESA website describing the how they communicate to the Rosetta spacecraft, Tracking Rosetta and thought it might be of interest.
I find it amazing how they manage to work with such a weak signal, -225.69 dBW or 2.7E-23 W by the time it reaches earth and just 1,83 femptowatts after collection by a 35m diameter antenna! I like the comparison with mobile phone signal levels. Sounds like I could do with one of those cryo-cooled low noise amps to improve my mobile phone reception up here on top of the hill!
Posted : 07/08/2014 6:23 pm
WTF is a femptowatt!! Far too small for me to contemplate.
I can't event get decent mobile reception if I move from one room to the other in my house.
Posted : 07/08/2014 6:28 pm
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc ="s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CC8QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.convertunits.com%2Finfo%2Ffemtowatt&ei=_7TjU6_rGoOd0QWgsYCoDg&usg=AFQjCNFKtH7laLF1IAJDxe9Zh317np_Inw&sig2=6HzOSWZCo9IPY_LEUapT2Q" Does this help?
Posted : 07/08/2014 7:20 pm
Excellent. Now I understand.
So 1 donkeypower* = 250,000,000,000,000,000 femtowatts.
All makes sense now 🙂
* Wikipedia defines 1 Donkeypower as 250 watts, if you don't believe me!
Posted : 07/08/2014 8:08 pm
I am glad you clarified that as I was beginning to think you where boasting!!!!
Posted : 07/08/2014 9:35 pm
I'm loving this.
Tej, I think this is good source material for sci-fi characters' names! Zeptowatt vs Yottawatt in Power to the Power of 21!
Posted : 11/08/2014 10:54 am
I think George Lucas already took a couple of those with a slight modding! Andy, you're the master of wordplay, I bet you would have come up with even better names!
Actually, there's an endless scope for us to contribute more to the scientific community, surely? <span style="font-size: 13px;"> Prepare to groan guys...</span>
10!27 WW - whatawatt
10!-27 wW - wizzowatt
10!30 - SW - somewatt
10!-30 - sW - sowatt
OK...I'll stop
Posted : 11/08/2014 11:28 pm
