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I guess I was really questioning the title of the post, which calls it a US spy plane.

I'd like to see on a map where these islands are. How far out are the Chinese trying to go? I wouldn't think they could create actual artificial islands far away from land because they wouldn't be anchored to anything (except maybe with a rope).

Where exactly are those islands located?

Is that a spy plane? The engine looks like it's on a jumbo jet. (Not to mention they aren't doing a good job of spying if everyone is seeing and communicating with them.)

Astounding.

Breathtaking.

I've seen a good few of these, and thought I understood the scale, but I got such a serious "I can see my house from here" moment (3:10, mid-to-far left, in case you wonder) that re-re-re-re-ignited my astonishment at humanity's achievements, that I was literally left speechless.

James May said it better: "It's slightly humbling" or, more descriptively, "oh, god, it's... sorry, I'm slightly... woah... it's amazing".

>> ^GeeSussFreeK:

>> ^papple:
A part of me thinks that this is a beautiful piece of engineering, but another part of me feels sad that it'll only be used to drop bombs on people.

It is actually a spy plane, even so, any R&D you can point towards developing a hydrogen economy (provided we find good ways to produce hydrogen), the better!


Spy planes are used to spot places to drop bombs on them as well, it's a first strike weapon, like a "Missile Defense Shield."

>> ^papple:

A part of me thinks that this is a beautiful piece of engineering, but another part of me feels sad that it'll only be used to drop bombs on people.


It is actually a spy plane, even so, any R&D you can point towards developing a hydrogen economy (provided we find good ways to produce hydrogen), the better!



One of the killer apps of the particular flavor of nuclear I am interested in deals with high heat electrolysis which could help in the transition to a hydrogen economy. Technologies that aid in hydrogen production will also most likely be suited for desalinization of water, which could be of great need if warming of the earth changes regional rain patters.



http://nuclear.energy.gov/genIV/documents/gen_iv_roadmap.pdf

Crappity Crap Crap!
*dupeof=http://www.videosift.com/video/Top-Gear-s-Captain-Slow-Gets-Really-High-U2-Spy-Plane

I have edited the tags of @PostMortem to reflect a few more "Keywords" so this doesn't happen again...

All we need now is an ^isdupe - Please!

This video has been declared a duplicate by the original submitter; transferring votes to the original video and killing this dupe - dupeof declared by Sagemind.

This video has been declared a duplicate by the original submitter; transferring votes to the original video and killing this dupe - dupeof declared by Sagemind.

Tags for this video have been changed from 'BBC, Top Gear, James May, Lockheed, U2 Spy Plane, 70000ft, Altitude, Atmosphere' to 'BBC, Top Gear, James May, Lockheed, U2, Spy Plane, 70000ft, Altitude, Atmosphere' - edited by Sagemind

Tags for this video have been changed from 'Captain Slow, BBC, Top Gear, Edge of Space, James May, U2 Spy Plane' to 'BBC, Top Gear, James May, Lockheed, U2 Spy Plane, 70000ft, Altitude, Atmosphere' - edited by Sagemind

mostly a duplicate of http://www.videosift.com/video/Top-Gear-s-Captain-Slow-Gets-Really-High-U2-Spy-Plane

I know I've seen this on the sift before somewhere but quite honestly I don't mind 2 of them at the moment. This is probably my favorite sift ever.

And I'm sure you aren't the only one Amateur
>> ^AmateurD:
I believe I actually wept when I saw that view the first time.

>> ^Mcboinkens:
The Kashmir entrance of the plane gave me goosebumps.
Also, I didn't think pilots could have glasses or contacts? Or is it just that they can't be colorblind?
Anyway, if we had this technology for spyplanes in the 50's, it makes you wonder what technology we don't know about now.


answers here (and for the different branches of US military):
http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/genjoin/a/pilotvision.htm

Sweet! Would be cool if the sensors displayed on the video were functioning. It looks like it has a GPS, and maybe yaw, pitch, roll, airspeed, etc. Nice little spy plane there. I wonder if the owner's controller has a real-time video feed on it.

This video has been declared a duplicate; transferring votes to the original video and killing this dupe - dupeof declared by Throbbin.