Sunday SDR data points

Some data points relating to my last Sunday SDR post and specifically the points about the way in which some forms of advanced technology are becoming much more evenly distributed. Here's Armscontrolwonk getting the wrong year, but more importantly, linking to India experimenting with hit-to-kill antiballistic missile/antisatellite technology.

Here's DARPA starting an app store for the military - interestingly, they've settled on Android as the standard operating system, just like major Chinese mobile device vendors have (it's cheap and highly open). I think I said something in Charlie Stross's comments about putting a drone app on your iPhone.

Really interestingly, they've drawn the obvious conclusion - if you're going to use smartphone-like devices based on civilian high technology, you'll need a cellular radio network for them, and as a result, DARPA is also tendering for lightweight, rugged portable GSM/UMTS equipment. Both this lot and the OpenBTS people will be interested. (This post refers, slightly, as does this Bruce Sterling screed.)

Meanwhile, this is interesting:

Its apparent success has prompted some to wonder if the model can be extended to other areas of British space activity.

A recent report prepared jointly by industry, government, and academia said a PFI could be used to develop a national Earth observation programme. The idea has already been dubbed "Skysight".