Buzz Out Loud Lounge: U.S. satellite gonna come down on Earth in...somewhere...
Most debris should burn up
by QueMike - 2/20/08 9:14 PM In reply to: right the Chinese did do an ASAT test last year, however... by shawnlinMost of the debris should de-orbit and burn up within the 3 days. I believe they said that they would know more in the next 24 hrs. One thing they are really looking for is whether or not they successfully hit the fuel tank to rupture and disperse the hydrazine in orbit.
-Mike
Break out the popcorn...
by Dawgfanclark - 2/20/08 7:01 AM In reply to: U.S. satellite gonna come down on Earth in...somewhere... by shawnlinand chill pill for Molly as this is gonna ROCK!!!
Just face it...
by doompod - 2/20/08 1:54 PM In reply to: Break out the popcorn... by DawgfanclarkLet's the face the fact that we're all going to die, except for little Buzz of course because he's immortal.
Is there a reason for the location?
by Jill808 - 2/20/08 3:42 PM In reply to: Just face it... by doompodWhy are they trying to shoot it down in the Pacific...um close to Hawaii. In other words, why so close to me?
The last US Satellite landed in my country...
by DaveBinM - 2/20/08 4:11 PM In reply to: Is there a reason for the location? by Jill808Hey, the last US satellite landed in good ol' Australia, in southern WA (Western Australia, not Washington).
Fortunately the clean up from the debris of SkyLab was paid for, as the US government was slapped with a AU$400 for littering by the local council. Kinda funny I think...
See:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/us-spy-satellite-debris-may-hit-australia/2008/02/02/1201801098875.html
Why? Because the Pacific Ocean is an easy target to "hit"..
by shawnlin - 2/20/08 5:28 PM In reply to: Is there a reason for the location? by Jill808Jill,
Why? Because the Pacific Ocean is an easy target to "hit"
There is a moral issues here: Most people in the world lives on land and therefore value land more than water. So "we" don't mind "hitting" water - as long as it's not close to anything valuable man-made (cruise ships, coastal towns, etc.) or hard to get to resource (fossil fuels, etc.)
But this is simply the best (or least bad, depending on your view) that there is for ensuring public safety. Part "what do we value and how do we avoid it" and part statistical probability of carrying out the deorbit/re-entry.
Best,
Shalin
BTW - You live in Hawaii! That's awesome! ...I'm sure you get that a lot, but seriously - must be nice, yes? Maybe the BOL cruise will come out there and we'll all go out for walks on the beach, surfing, and all the good food, scenery, culture, and wildlife we can stand...yes, I look forward to that 
hmm...it might hit "land in the ocean"...8th continent...
by shawnlin - 2/20/08 5:30 PM In reply to: Why? Because the Pacific Ocean is an easy target to "hit".. by shawnlinhmm...it might hit "land in the ocean"...8th continent...
http://www.core77.com/blog/object_culture/weve_found_the_8th_continentand_it_isnt_pretty_8890.asp
The first missile hit, DoD says...
by shawnlin - 2/20/08 8:27 PM In reply to: U.S. satellite gonna come down on Earth in...somewhere... by shawnlinhttp://www.globalsecurity.org/space/library/news/2008/space-080220-dod02.htm
http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=11704
press conference at 7am EST on 2/21...
Yay
by Jill808 - 2/20/08 9:02 PM In reply to: The first missile hit, DoD says... by shawnlinGood news for now. I hope the good news continues in the days to come.
Living in Hawaii is awesome. At least it is now. A few hours ago, it wasn't that great. 
video of Satellite shoot-down...
by shawnlin - 2/21/08 7:36 AM In reply to: U.S. satellite gonna come down on Earth in...somewhere... by shawnlinhttp://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2008/02/21/pentagon.sat.shoot7a.cnn
http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/21/video-proof-of-the-renegade-satellites-destruction/
expert commentary on why it's a bad idea...just for balance.
by shawnlin - 2/21/08 7:57 AM In reply to: U.S. satellite gonna come down on Earth in...somewhere... by shawnlinhttp://www.globalsecurity.org/space/library/news/2008/space-080220-satellite-shootdown.htm
excerpt:
*****
This action is not only unnecessary (over the decades many space objects including the large Skylab manned space station have re-entered the atmosphere and no one on Earth has ever been hit by the resulting de-orbiting debris), but it is illogical. [...]
We have more objects in space than any other nation and it is counterproductive to intercept the errant U.S. spy satellite. The explosive encounter will create a cloud of debris that rivals or perhaps even surpasses that caused by the recent Chinese government's test of their anti-satellite intercept technology. In effect, the U.S. intercept mission will serve as yet another ASAT test (continuing a series of such experiments performed by both America and Russia in the Eighties).
[...]
Once again, this whole affair points to one of the major flaws in humankind's utilization of outer space. [...] These so-called "space tugs" have been written about for decades. But, it is wasteful, and illogical for NASA and other space agencies not to have invested significant funding into the development of such orbital maintenance platforms. Imagine how many space assets (the Mir space station, Skylab, Apollo command modules, not to mention ultrasecret intelligence satellites and countless other strategically (and historically) significant objects) could have been salvaged over the last few decades IF mankind had developed this technology.
*****
Okay, no more posts on this topic from me unless something truly newsworthy happens.
Best,
Shalin
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