by George Richards

Created on: May 20, 2007

Nasa's QuickSCAT satellite will soon "crap out" according to Rag Box Science Editor, Hugh McBiff. If this were to occur within the next hurricane season, weather forecasters will not have the necessary data to compute the strength and direction of the tropical cyclones.

The National Hurricane Center dismissed the value of such information citing that once a tropical storm has been upgraded to a hurricane, people should flee an area roughly the size of the state of Florida...just in case.

"Much ado" groused NOAA spokesperson Jeff Stillpotz. "Even when you tell people it's a category 5, they don't go to the stores to get extra water and batteries. Maybe this will serve as a wake up call for them, the slackers."

The next generation of weather satellites capable of doing what QuickSCAT has done will not be ready for years, due to massive cost over runs and the apparent inability of NASA engineers to design a satellite exactly like they one they launched to perform the present job.

"We can't seem to duplicate that nifty thing where the satellite gives us information on speed, strength, and direction."

Engineers are pouring over details of the last blueprint to see if they can mimic the behavior of the previous satellite. Thus far, there has been little success and officials have admitted that it may be 2012 before anything remotely similar is launched.

In the meantime, NOOA has advised people from Mexico to North Carolina to basically pack their belongings from September through November to prevent any "surprises" from shattering lives, as well as property.

Insurance adjusters are taking note.

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