Satellites collide

[middy]

Yikes :scared: Just found this on the news:

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25043542-5003402,00.html

[iceman]

Amazing, I saw it on twitter this morning too.

Another link:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/11/tech/main4792976.shtml

[gary]

What is even more incredible was that within 4 minutes of the
accident there were no less than five tow trucks on the spot. :lol:

[Lee]

Imagine the flare on that Iridium!! :eyepop:

[leon]

Man that would be so good to capture whilst out imaging some star fields, or the like.

Leon

[Omaroo]

Not good if you're on Iridium I suspect..... :doh:

[Jen]

:eyepop: that would have been awsome to witness something like that

[mozzie]

things like that never happen over aus what a sight even in daylight one less uridium to chase:lol::lol:
mozzie

[Spanrz]

That's nuts. Dam, I'll have to step up my plans for my Dob Drive system.
(fast tracking enabled)
I knew there was a reason, why I wanted to follow satellites / etc. :doh:

[Bassnut]

And imagine the collision junk now floating around.

I recently discovered an uncataloged Galaxy collision (http://fredsastro.googlepages.com/CollidingGalaxies.jpg/CollidingGalaxies-full;init:.jpg)BTW, also scary :P.

[astroron]

Very clever b:Pbut very nice Fr:):thumbsup:ed

[kinetic]

LOL, and the other 57 Iridiums are saying they were in the spacecraft
at the time and are claiming compo for neck injuries.

[glenc]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7885051.stm
"US and Russian communications satellites have collided in space in what is thought to be the biggest incident of its kind to date.
The US commercial Iridium spacecraft hit a defunct Russian satellite at an altitude of about 800km (500 miles) over Siberia on Tuesday, Nasa said..."
also http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7885750.stm

[csb]

Domino effect! :atom: :rain: :scared: :prey2: (Silly humans :lol:)

[rider]

Dear Mr Putin,
Thank you for your correspondence, but as the photos show your Satelitesky was definately on the left, Therefore we assert our rights to retain our no claim bonus and will be forwarding the panel beating quote and towing charge, as soon as they are finalised.

Fondest regards
Iridium Co.

Ps How are the kids?

[glenc]

The collision was above Siberia, in our airspace. Your claim is rejected.

[WhiteStarLine]

Someone on another list asked if anyone was watching that particular Iridium for flares at the time. The answer from Moscow was conditions at the time were minus 48 degrees Celsius. Wow, that is cold: 88 degrees colder than Canberra last week!

[Omaroo]

No wonder:

[Stuart78]

OMG:eyepop: that is just wrong as if it ain't bad enough we litter the earth then we leave all our ****e in space, are they sure we are warming the globe, maybe it will be the other way around with all that crap surrounding the atmosphere, (Global Cooling),
I see so much of these while looking through my scope, how do you guys go with astro imaging must be a nightmare...:confuse2:






Stu>>

[glenc]

Which crash created the most debris?
"A leading space scientist has calculated that Tuesday's collision (http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16584-satellite-collision-creates-copious-space-junk.html) between an Iridium communications satellite and the defunct Soviet-era Cosmos 2251 spacecraft expended a great deal more destructive energy than China's infamous anti-satellite missile test (http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn10999-antisatellite-test-generates-dangerous-space-debris.html) did in January 2007."
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16604-satellite-collision-more-powerful-than-chinas-asat-test.html

S&T says the Chinese test is worse.
"Let's not forget that on January 11, 2007, the People's Republic of China launched a ballistic weapon that struck and destroyed Fengyun 1. The resulting fragments created more space shards than any other event in the history of satellite exploration, creating a hazardous cloud at altitudes ranging from 300 to 2,500 miles."
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/39551797.html

[ngcles]

Hi Glen & All,



The Chinese are concerned that the "massive debris of the satellite collision might pose grave but controllable danger to other spacecraft" and that it "poses a threat to China's solar synchronous satellites on the orbit" ...

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-02/12/content_10809710.htm

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-02/12/content_10806839.htm

Could be construed as a tad hypocritical, perhaps ...


Best,

Les D

[glenc]

Today's APOD has a diagram of the two paths. http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0902/collidingsatellites_agi_big.jpg

[Kevnool]

Your right there Les they are hypocritical after they destroyed 2 in low earth orbit back in 2008 which caused international outrage.

The Joint space operations centre was monitoring 14000 pieces of space junk down to the sizes of 2 inchs but after that collision has gone up to 18000 now more after that collision.

Now there worried ...poor buggers...Cheers Kev.

[Ric]

How do you pick a path with the shuttle where you can fly with some security.

I think we need to invent some sort of giant hoover to clean up our mess and fire it of into the sun.:lol:

[Kevnool]

Hey Ric I heard that every time the shuttle goes up into low earth orbit which is the realm of the ISS and Hubble that they have to manouvre around the debris.

Its very scary and dangerous stuff up there and also they use the vast expance of space to gamble with that there not going to get hit, But one day i would hate to imagine.

For an enviroment that you would think was pristine its just a junkyard sad but true.

It shows it all in the series THE UNIVERSE the edge of space.

Cheers Kev.

[Ric]

Hi Kev, I haven't heard of that series. is it on DVD?

Cheers

[Kevnool]

It is but its expensive to buy over 100 bickies.
The series was shown on the history channel on the pay on sunday nights.

[Ric]

Hmmm:confuse3:, must investigate pay TV. There seems to be a lot of good stuff I'm missing.:D

[Jen]

Season 3 should be coming soon :D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Universe_(TV_series)

[Ric]

SEASON THREE!!!!! :eyepop:
Haven't even seen season one yet. :lol: