Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: xjcsa

To me it is very complex. I have never ever tried to figure an out of control rock from HEO sped by solar activity to LEO and eventually to stratosphere and slowed by it’s own unknown weight. NASA did a good job of making sure it didn’t hit me on the head. :^)


623 posted on 09/23/2011 11:46:10 PM PDT by eyedigress ((Old storm chaser from the west)?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 620 | View Replies ]


Saw a tweet UARS, if still in orbit, ought to be visible from Australia in the next few minutes.


624 posted on 09/23/2011 11:47:53 PM PDT by OneLoyalAmerican (In God I trust, all others provide citations.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 623 | View Replies ]

To: eyedigress
To me it is very complex. I have never ever tried to figure an out of control rock from HEO sped by solar activity to LEO and eventually to stratosphere and slowed by it’s own unknown weight. NASA did a good job of making sure it didn’t hit me on the head. :^)

Haha...forecasting the landing location is extremely complex; the methods they use are far enough beyond my understanding that I don't even know most of the words involved.

But figuring the odds of a person being hit, given that the landing location was essentially randomly chosen, is much simpler: Figure a person takes up one square meter of space. Multiply that by the total population of the planet and you get the total surface area covered by people. Divide that number by the total surface area of the Earth (or of the portion of the Earth within the orbit's coverage area) and you get the odds that any one piece will hit a person. Multiply those odds by the number of pieces falling and you have your odds.

625 posted on 09/23/2011 11:56:27 PM PDT by xjcsa (Ridiculing the ridiculous since the day I was born.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 623 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson