with all the spare computing power the NASA has, you'd think they'd know in advance what when and where things would go bang in the dark...
Posted on 02/11/2009 1:39:00 PM PST by Names Ash Housewares
Well, remember that all it takes is a few low orbit rockets and about 2 tons of junk with an explosive and you can have a mini-Kessler syndrome, if you do it right...
I’m surprised some govt’s havent though of the idea of shutting off space access this way.
with all the spare computing power the NASA has, you'd think they'd know in advance what when and where things would go bang in the dark...
nice picture. what is the context?
I'm sure it's been thought of many times. The problem is that it takes orbital capability to place the debris in orbit. And once you've got orbital capability, there's a natural tendency to want to use it for putting things in orbit -- which precludes making orbit uninhabitable for your own satellites.
However, should the SHTF for some country with lower-tier space capability, they may well do exactly as you suggest.
Do you really need a context for a picture like that? ;-)
I enjoy the picuture with our without context.
The fundamental fact about space is that it is BIG. An accidental collision between satellites is so unlikely that this collision, especially taking place over Siberia, has to be a Russian military test.
In a test of anti-sat capability, it would be smart not to hit something that gets the Pentagon all fired up.
Honestly, though, I'm betting this was an old Cosmos falling out of orbit and went through the Iridium's orbital path at the wrong time.
‘Within six months... blah blah...generated crisis.. blah’
Has anybody figured out WTF plugs was referring to?
FORBAN PROJECT: machines rules!
If you can’t hear a scream in space, can I send my wife there?
Precisely. Whose orbit decayed or was changed. Wouldn’t you think NASA would know? Naaah, they are to busy playing the global warming gambit.
She'll have to wait her turn; I've already booked Maxine Waters for the next available launch vehicle.
Well, there’s Russia’s answer to 0bama’s please for a ban of weapons in space...
LOL
This is getting to be a really serious problem. The US depends on satellites, but debris from launches (not to mention the debris that China deliberately created with the destruction of a satellite) is going to make satellite failures more and more common. Were these satellites tracked so that this could have been predicted?
One proposal I’ve heard about clearing out a lot of space junk is called “a big ball of goo”, in which a satellite is sent into orbit, then extends straight tubes many meters in several directions. The end of each tube holds a tent-like material, so when the arms are extended, the satellite looks like a large ball.
A gas is sprayed to fully “inflate” the ball, and then a high expansion polymer foam is sprayed to fill the ball. The end result is a giant ball of something like hard Styrofoam, designed for space junk to embed itself in the ball.
The ends of the tubes protrude out of the ball, and serve as thrusters to guide the ball in an irregular orbit, designed to intercept as much space junk as possible. At low, medium or high speed, any number of objects will then finally be carried back into the atmosphere to harmlessly burn up.
Ooh.... Coolness. Got any other neat applets? (already know about current time on nist.gov)
There will be big money in orbital clean up someday I am sure.
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