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 shawnlin

http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/library/news/2008/space-080220-satellite-shootdown.htm

excerpt:
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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.
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Okay, no more posts on this topic from me unless something truly newsworthy happens.

Best,
Shalin