Space Junk

[Moonliner]

Old news: 5,000lbs US Satellite fails in orbit and is falling back to earth.

Today's news: The Pentagon is planning to blow it up (http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/02/some-time-in-th.html)with a missile before then.

Why?


there's a small but real risk that the tank could rupture, releasing a "toxic gas" over a "populated area," causing a "risk to human life."


The regret factor of not acting clearly outweighed the regret factor of acting




*sniff sniff* What a guy! Trying to keep us all safe like that. I'm sure the idea of all the secret spy toys on that bird landing in say the middle of China had no effect on that decision at all.

[Kevy Baby]

How is that tin-foil hat of yours?

[innerSpaceman]

Gee if only we had that missle shield in place, we wouldn't have to worry about pesky falling satellites.

[blueerica]

So the combination is one, two, three, four, five? That's the stupidest combination I've ever heard in my life! The kind of thing an idiot would have on his luggage!

[BarTopDancer]

I want to go fly above the atmosphere and blow stuff up! That sounds like fun!

[RStar]

I wonder if we'll get the same kind of debris show like at the end of the movie "Independance Day"? That would be cool!

[Not Afraid]

Calling Euro's Sky Lab Crew.......

[LSPoorEeyorick]

OK, I have to admit: every time I see this thread title, I think of a naked astronaut. Check out the space junk!

[Capt Jack]

ok, so correct me if Im wrong but isnt this sort of why they built shuttles in the first place? to go up and retrieve or repair this sort of thing? not that Im not a huge fan of blowin stuff up just cuz...but, as memory serves, there is currently a shuttle in space...space being sorta where this non-op orbiting death object is?

yes?


/shrug

[Alex]

I wonder if we'll get the same kind of debris show like at the end of the movie "Independance Day"? That would be cool!

No, it's not nearly big enough and if the explosion is efficient enough most pieces won't be big enough (plus the odds of it reentering where you'd be able to see are relatively small).

More than preventing acquisition of top secret parts (probably not much since I imagine the good stuff is software based and I'd imagine they have ways of "self destructing" that) is the opportunity to practice shooting satellites. If nothing else it is reasonably well timed opportunity to show the Chinese we can still do it too (they shot one a couple years ago).

[Morrigoon]

So the combination is one, two, three, four, five? That's the stupidest combination I've ever heard in my life! The kind of thing an idiot would have on his luggage!

12345? That's the same combo I have on my luggage! Remind me to get that changed...

[Jazzman]

This is actually old news. This satellite malfunctioned a while ago and it's only now that it's been officially admitted to. But no, it has nothing to do with securing sensitive hardware. The full tank of propellant has always been a worry and the concern is that on burn up the tank might possibly make it through and rain fuel down. It's remote but possible and so they're taking measures to avoid the problem before it happens.

As for the shuttle, you're exactly right, but thank all of the space critics who cried for restricting it's use after Challenger and Columbia. Thanks to all of the belly aching it's basically a glorified commuter bus to the station and back now.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

The new news is that they're shooting it down.


I happened to hear an awesome sound bite on the radio today from the press conference (which I can't seem to find online). James Cartwright was trying to stress that yes, even if they didn't shoot it down, going through the atmosphere would take care of any information anyone could try to glean from the craft itself, "with the heating, and the burning..." The way he said it sounded a lot like this guy.

http://popsci.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/07/27/frink.gif

The only thing he didn't say was "with the GLAVIN!!!"

[Alex]

not that Im not a huge fan of blowin stuff up just cuz...but, as memory serves, there is currently a shuttle in space...space being sorta where this non-op orbiting death object is?


I'm pretty sure it would be impossible for the current mission to be diverted to retrieve the satellite (assuming it is small enough to fit inside if they did). The shuttles aren't exactly carrying a lot of extra fuel for spontaneous side trips.

I'd also think that 120 miles up is a bit lower than they'd be comfortable doing a long stay as that's about (I believe) 200 miles lower than the shuttle's normal low earth orbit.

And considering how stupidly expensive shuttle launches are it is probably still cheaper to just blow it up and start over with a new rocket launched satellite.

[Moonliner]

James Cartwright was trying to stress that yes, even if they didn't shoot it down, going through the atmosphere would take care of any information anyone could try to glean from the craft itself, "with the heating, and the burning..."

Yeah, sure Mr. Cartwright. *honk* *honk* tell me another one....


One item recovered from the debris field was a videotape recording made by the astronauts during the start of re-entry. The video recording lasts for thirteen minutes and shows the flight crew astronauts conducting routine re-entry procedures and joking with each other, none of them giving any indication of a problem. The video shows the flight-deck crew putting on their gloves and passing the video camera around in order to take footage of plasma and flames visible outside the windows of the orbiter, and ends approximately four minutes prior to the start of the shuttle's disintegration.


They do not want this thing recovered (and with good reason)

[€uroMeinke]

Calling Euro's Sky Lab Crew.......

Time to call up the boys
http://photos.xenarchy.com/albums/userpics/10001/GUMBY%20DEFENSE%20SMALL.jpg

(But Honestly, I was just thinking about DEVO;) )

[Ghoulish Delight]

And Monty Python?

[Snowflake]

visibile € mojo
:iSm:

[Kevy Baby]

Are you standing or sitting? It is hard to tell which one is supposed to be you. I always hate "left to right" when you have people sitting and standing.

[Not Afraid]

That's pics got Boss Radio, Strangler Lewis and Euro in it.

[Moonliner]

So did 'GD' really stand for Gumby Defence, or was it perhaps for something with a bit more girth?

[Disneyphile]

Holy crap! That newspaper isn't a joke?

I'm dying here. Best laugh ever. Holy hell! :snap:

[Ghoulish Delight]

That's pics got Boss Radio, Strangler Lewis and Euro in it.
Wait, so that IS Boss Radio? Was he using a fake name?

[blueerica]

Ahh, now I know where Boss is at in the pic... I know where Senor Meinke is for sure.

And by the way, you guys are all pretty much my heroes for making the paper with a stunt like that.

[Morrigoon]

That is pretty damn funny.

Am I the only person here who hasn't met Boss Radio?

[SacTown Chronic]

I feel better knowing there are patriots with fishing nets looking out for my safety. Danke.

[blueerica]

That is pretty damn funny.

Am I the only person here who hasn't met Boss Radio?

Actually, I think only a few have, though I am certain of it. I know him because, technically, he is my boss. And he is the boss of a few others here.

[Not Afraid]

Wait, so that IS Boss Radio? Was he using a fake name?

No, that's his real name, although I think it has been officially changed to what it is now (which is or was his middle name). I still call him by his former name and do a double take when I hear it as it currently stands.

[Moonliner]

Ahh, at last we see the real beauty of the government's satellite shoot down plan. They are going to take a shot at it tomorrow night (coincidentally during the lunar eclipse). They have carefully arranged it so that any debris will fall harmlessly to earth in an area of no real importance: Canada (http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/02/sat-shoot-down.html).

[blueerica]

Interesting...

[Kevy Baby]

Ahh, at last we see the real beauty of the government's satellite shoot down plan. They are going to take a shot at it tomorrow night (coincidentally during the lunar eclipse). They have carefully arranged it so that any debris will fall harmlessly to earth in an area of no real importance: Canada (http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/02/sat-shoot-down.html).As long as they duck, they should be fine.

[Kevy Baby]

It looks like the shootdown has been postponed due to weather:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23253805/

[Moonliner]

It looks like the shootdown has been postponed due to weather:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23253805/

I guess that argues against this being a secret anti-satellite test.

What good would an anti-sat system that only works in good weather be?

Unless that's just what they want us to think....


(Of course we all know the real reason is that they figured out it's during a total lunar eclipse which would allow for people getting better pictures and they don't want that...... )

[blueerica]

Well, either way I look at it, I wouldn't be able to see any of it, based on how frigging cloudy it is here in Utah. Bleh.

[Alex]

****, now the Russkies know to nuke us on a rainy day. Our whole missile defense has been revealed at its weakest point. If only we could invent mechanical dramamine.

[cirquelover]

Well it's done according to MSN; http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23265613

It sounds like you should look up for the next 40 hours for falling debris?! I guess they really don't have a clue where the parts will land.


Edit: It's fixed now, sorry!

[Gemini Cricket]

Well it's done according to MSN; http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/232656

It sounds like you should look up for the next 40 hours for falling debris?! I guess they really don't have a clue where the parts will land.
cl -
It says "page not found".
???

[cirquelover]

Sorry about that:blush:

[Gemini Cricket]

Sorry about that:blush:

:argghh:< Yay it be fixed, it be!
:decap:

[Moonliner]

Unless that's just what they want us to think....



So the shot went off after all.

It's good to know we've still got some right sneaky bastards working on our side.

[scaeagles]

Pretty cool to hit that sucker dead on on the first shot.

I, for one, happen to agree with the Chinese and Russians on this one, though. I am certain this was an excuse to demonstrate some military tech to them.

[wendybeth]

I see no problem with that. China shot down one of their own not too long ago, and while we whined about it we took no official action. It's just business as usual.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I have an interesting coworker with a varied past...worked in aerospace among other things...and he says his secret contact assures him this was purely to test out our new defense systems.

[Kevy Baby]

I have an interesting coworker with a varied past...worked in aerospace among other things...and he says his secret contact assures him this was purely to test out our new defense systems.If the reports that the missile hit the tank are true, I would say that the test was a resounding success!

[Moonliner]

Be careful what you repeat CP or someone here might label you as part of the "Tin Hat" crew.

[Kevy Baby]

Be careful what you repeat CP or someone here might label you as part of the "Tin Hat" crew.Ooohhh... I think I touched a nerve. There must have been some truth to my comment :D

[Moonliner]

If the reports that the missile hit the tank are true, I would say that the test was a resounding success!

If there really was a missile.
If there really was a tank
If there really was a missile that really hit the tank that was really there.

And if you can call spending $10,000,000 of taxpayer money to blow up $1,000,000,000 worth of taxpayer property a success then yes it was a success but I'm not sure how many more of these successes we can take.

[RStar]

And if you can call spending $10,000,000 of taxpayer money to blow up $1,000,000,000 worth of taxpayer property a success then yes it was a success but I'm not sure how many more of these successes we can take.

But it was a "$1,000,000,000 worth of taxpayer property" crap that didn't work anyway. :rolleyes:

This is just another reason for other countries to hate America. :rolleyes: