Posted on 11/13/2023 9:01:46 AM PST by Red Badger
An astronaut tool bag dropped during a spacewalk can be seen orbiting Earth on Nov. 2, 2023. (Image credit: NASA/JSC) Some astronomy targets are less celestial in nature than others.
Joining stars, planets, nebulas, and galaxies as a target for skywatchers is now a surprisingly bright tool bag floating through the space around Earth. The bag of tools gave NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O'Hara the slip on Nov. 2, 2023, as they were conducting a spacewalk outside of the International Space Station (ISS).
The tool bag is now orbiting our planet just ahead of the ISS with a visual magnitude of around 6, according to EarthSky. That means it is slightly less bright than the ice giant Uranus, the seventh planet from the sun. As a result, the bag — officially known as a crew lock bag — is slightly too dim to be visible to the unaided eye, but skywatchers should be able to pick it up with binoculars.
To see it for yourself, first find out when you can find spot the space station over the next few months (NASA even has a new app to help you). The bag should be floating two to four minutes ahead of the station. As it descends rapidly, the bag is likely to disintegrate when it reaches an altitude of around 70 miles (113 kilometers) over Earth.
European Space Agency (ESA) reserve astronaut Meganne Christian shared footage of the moment the tool bag escaped the grasp of Moghbeli on her X account. She added that the bag had last been sighted at that time by Crew-7 astronaut Satoshi Furukawa as it floated high above Mount Fuji.
Also on X, Harvard Center for Astrophysics (CfA) astronomer Jonathan McDowell revealed that the bag is circling Earth in a roughly 258 by 258 mile (415 by 416 kilometer) orbit. McDowell also explained that the bag has also been given its own categorization in the U.S. space force cataloging system for artificial objects in orbit officially designated 58229 / 1998–067WC.
The tool bag joins a vast array of artificial space junk in orbit around Earth, ranging from pieces of shuttles and smashed-up satellites to tools used by astronauts. This isn't even the first tool bag to reach orbit. In 2008, as NASA astronaut Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper attempted to repair a jammed gear on an ISS solar panel, she lost her grip on another tool bag with then circled our planet.
And these definitely aren't the weirdest objects to find their way to orbiting Earth. That honor goes to a humble spatula. Late NASA astronaut Piers Sellers lost his grip on the kitchen implement as he was using it to spread heat-shield repair slime during the space shuttle Discovery's flight STS-121 in 2006. "That was my favorite spatch. Don't tell the other spatulas," Sellers reportedly said about the loss.
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“Sorry for your loss”
Thank you.....it’s a big adjustment and the only thing any of us can do is hope and pray we’re prepared to handle it when it happens. I don’t know which is worse - knowing it’s coming or having a death happen suddenly...I think it’s easier to handle, if such a thing is possible, when it’s a long illness which can only result in one thing. We had more years of the best of the 50 years we had together than the worst part.
Most shooting stars are about the size of a grain of sand.
Wonder how big those are going to be?
We have now been together for over 45 years and not once have I ever told my wife not to touch my tools. She would always ask before using and I never got her to stop that either. I figured since we were married they basically were ours. She knew about taking care of them so I never worried.
Over the past couple decades she decided to start collecting her own tools as she always felt bad about using mine, so she now has a nice collection of tools and, don't tell her, but she is getting a large, purple, roll-away tool cabinet from Santa.
They were mad that they weren’t given Craftswomen Tools instead.
“I was looking for my nice, beautiful Estwing claw hammer”
A bench-mounted wire brush will restore the finish on your Estwing. Living 200-feet from the ocean, with a mostly onshore breeze, I get to do this twice-yearly!
Whatzername?
I’ve painted all my tools (and clamps) Robin egg blue. It’s a reminder to a neighbor to return them. So far, I’ve only lost one tool, but it was a giant off-brand Channellock that I miss very much.
The article is a little loose with the brands of “Sears” and “Craftsman”. Tools marked “Sears” never had a lifetime warranty.
Home Depot sells “Husky” brand tools, which are comparable in quality to “Craftsman” and can be swapped under warranty. I did have a Husky tool break internally. One HD store rejected my claim, but another store honored it!
Go figure...
“she is getting a large, purple, roll-away tool cabinet from Santa.”
Speaking of Santa, I suggest gifts of clamps. A handyman can never have too many clamps!
BTW: most tools, including Craftsman, are made in China...
Pard, I take even better care of my tools than I do my handbags.
They were mad that they weren’t PINK!....................
Thanks for the tip, much appreciated!
“Well many people can’t return them to their original place of purchase as they no longer exist.”
Lowes and Ace are Craftsman partners. I doubt they are going out of business.
😉
” loose “
lose
“The two affirmative action “astronauts” just showed why long time grad students really don’t make good auto mechanics.”
One is a test pilot with 150 combat missions.
Those AA figureheads have undoubtedly have hundreds of hours in the pool as the Astronaut Office requires it. They are both allegedly smart. But there's nuthin like experience and intuitive understanding of the physics you're engaged in, along with tactile experience known as “wrenching”.
Guy in the middle of the desert trying to fix his car.
If I only had some spanners..hammer and half a dozen 10mm sockets I could fix this puppy.
Karam Bang...tool bag drops in and kicks up dust..
Guy....Thank you Lord
I ride motorcycles and when at a red light I look around on the ground to see what’s fallen off of peoples cars.
I have found a lot of wrenches, sockets and even vise grips and ratchets.
10mm of course..................
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