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Re:SpaceX can't broadcast Earth images because of a murky li... by twtw on Friday April 06, 2018 @09:27AM (#16773011)
I read most of the relevant sections of the document, and there are good reasons for regulating remote sensing systems. I'm fairly familiar with remote sensing systems (SAR, scatterometry, etc) and I'm most interested in reasons why it makes sense to classify the cameras SpaceX stuck to the side of the rocket as remote sensing systems. While technically accurate according the definition provided in the law, it seems pretty dumb. The law even specifically states that handheld cameras don't count, so the distinction apparently comes down to whether there is a person up there to hold a camera that is easily "hand held" size.
Re:SpaceX can't broadcast Earth images because of a murky li... by alistairSH on Friday April 06, 2018 @09:54AM (#16773207)
I noticed the regulation says "remote sensing system" - does that mean SpaceX needs a license to record the video?

Broadcasting, at least to me, is not "sensing" - by the time images are broadcast, the "sensing" has already happened (even if by mere microseconds).

Re:SpaceX can't broadcast Earth images because of a murky li... by jacquesm on Friday April 06, 2018 @10:24AM (#16773441)
Strictly speaking sensing is the act of making a reading from a sensor, the fact that they transmit the video back to the earth already seems to be in violation (since that could be intercepted and since SpaceX apparently does continue to have access to the feed).

So it's nothing to do with recording.