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Two satellites collide in orbit
Spaceflight Now ^
| February 11, 2009
| WILLIAM HARWOOD
Posted on 02/11/2009 1:39:00 PM PST by Names Ash Housewares
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To: Names Ash Housewares
So now we have female satellites?
41
posted on
02/11/2009 2:00:20 PM PST
by
byteback
To: Doctor Raoul
42
posted on
02/11/2009 2:00:39 PM PST
by
txhurl
(ralph)
To: Names Ash Housewares
This doesn’t make sense. They can track 300 pieces of debris after wards but they can't track a potential collision before hand? Sounds like the Ruski’s had a successful killer satellite test to me..
To: MyTwoCopperCoins
>>Because if each of those dots really were satellites to a 1:1 scale, then each satellite, considering that they are in orbit, would have to be larger than a couple of cities.<<
Exactly what I was thinking. People have no idea just how much empty space there is between those dots. If one were to spread them out on the planet I suspect there would be quite a few dozen miles between each piece of junk.
44
posted on
02/11/2009 2:03:24 PM PST
by
RobRoy
(Islam is a greater threat to the world today than Nazism was in the 1930's.)
To: Admin Moderator
It’s not an everyday event, that’s for sure. not yet, anyway with all the stuff floating around out there.
45
posted on
02/11/2009 2:04:03 PM PST
by
NormsRevenge
(Semper Fi ... Godspeed.)
To: KarlInOhio
I don't know how much the Iridium can change its orbit, but unless there is evidence otherwise it looks like the Iridium will be cited.
Each Iridium orbital plane has a "spare" satellite in it that is in a slightly different orbit (in orbital height) so it it constantly "lapping" all the other members in the plane. This is how they replace a bad satellite with the spare. They move the bad one out of its location and wait for the spare to eventually get close to where other maneuvers can place it in its new operational location within the plane. So the answer is they can be moved. I'm surprised the Iridium managers didn't have a better handle on the potential for collision.
46
posted on
02/11/2009 2:04:26 PM PST
by
plsvn
To: Names Ash Housewares
but it's not yet clear whether it poses a risk to any other military or civilian satellites It'd suck to be Iridium today -- at a minimum, the debris poses a direct risk to the rest of their constellation.
47
posted on
02/11/2009 2:06:10 PM PST
by
r9etb
To: RegulatorCountry
Guess the answer is how long was it defunct? Also, any posibility that an Iridium sat was a spy bird?
48
posted on
02/11/2009 2:06:39 PM PST
by
Doctor Raoul
(Somewhere In Kenya, A Village Is Missing It's Idiot)
To: montanajoe
It’s projecting collisions for all the combinations of objects that’s the problem.
49
posted on
02/11/2009 2:07:51 PM PST
by
Doctor Raoul
(Somewhere In Kenya, A Village Is Missing It's Idiot)
To: RobRoy
BUT a lot of that “Space Junk” and Debris is moving at around 14,000-28,000 mph, If a paint chip hits anything at that speed, its adios amigos!
50
posted on
02/11/2009 2:07:54 PM PST
by
AvOrdVet
("Put the wagons in a circle for all the good it'll do")
To: library user
In space no one can hear your wife dent the car.
51
posted on
02/11/2009 2:08:51 PM PST
by
bmwcyle
(I have no President as of Jan 20th 2009. No Congress either.)
To: SIDENET
"In space, no one can hear your scream." Unless you're Howard Dean.
52
posted on
02/11/2009 2:09:24 PM PST
by
rfp1234
(Phodopus campbelli: household ruler since July 2007.)
To: theDentist
Or have I read too many Tom Clancy novels?
you have read too many. The Russians have plenty of missiles that could wax a low orbit satellite
53
posted on
02/11/2009 2:10:03 PM PST
by
TalonDJ
To: TalonDJ
But is kind of odd that they would “happen” to collide over Russia... and in the most desolate section of Russia...
54
posted on
02/11/2009 2:12:12 PM PST
by
AvOrdVet
("Put the wagons in a circle for all the good it'll do")
To: Names Ash Housewares
"KRAPSKI !!"
55
posted on
02/11/2009 2:12:32 PM PST
by
Dumpster Baby
((Sigh) Some days, it's just not worth trying to chew through the restraints.)
To: byteback
So now we have female satellites? On the bright side, there are no curbs in space, so the satellites don't have to worry about parallel parking.
56
posted on
02/11/2009 2:12:35 PM PST
by
rfp1234
(Phodopus campbelli: household ruler since July 2007.)
To: RobRoy; MyTwoCopperCoins; AvOrdVet; library user; John W
People have no idea just how much empty space there is between those dots. If one were to spread them out on the planet I suspect there would be quite a few dozen miles between each piece of junk.True. But that's like saying there's only 3 kids in rice-burners 'drifting' around at 50mph in the Walmart parking lot and you're laying out in the middle suntanning.
May be hundreds of yards between all those cars, and you, but how relaxed do you feel laying there?
And why did this get moved to chat?
57
posted on
02/11/2009 2:13:25 PM PST
by
sam_paine
(X .................................)
To: Doctor Raoul
Interesting point. I would think that the ability to make those projections would be key to any satellite offensive or defensive system
To: Names Ash Housewares
Guess I won’t using my satellite phone for a while.
59
posted on
02/11/2009 2:14:47 PM PST
by
wolfcreek
(There is no 2 party system only arrogant Pols and their handlers)
To: Pearls Before Swine
60
posted on
02/11/2009 2:15:30 PM PST
by
blueplum
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