Satellite could plummet to Earth

[Taximom]

I think Putin is just using this as an excuse to do what he wants over there. I think he's evil! I pray shrapnel hits him and his puppets.

Oh, that's mean.

 

[Buzz Mills]

Can't believe Russia is saying that.
Why don't they help in shooting it down....
Putin makes bad decisions, remember the hostage situation when
so many children got killed?

Putin doesn't want our missile defense systems in Poland and the Czech Republic - I really can't blame him for that.

The U.S. is saying the unexpended hydrazine fuel is the reason for the intercept. Everyone else thinks it's the technology.

 

[Buzz Mills]

Congratulations on your retirement, Buzz

United Launch Alliance was incorporated on December 1, 2006. The National Reconnaissance Office satellite which we are discussing failed moments after liftoff on December 14, 2006. If there was a solar array, it never deployed. Hopefully, there was no rtg (radioisotope thermoelectric generator) on board.

Interesting discussion over on nasaspaceflight.com, eh? Excellent informed debate on this topic. Are there any other sites which you would recommend? Cheers.

I don't know of any sites Truly - try googling key words.

 

[Pharlap]

Putin doesn't want our missile defense systems in Poland and the Czech Republic - I really can't blame him for that.

The U.S. is saying the unexpended hydrazine fuel is the reason for the intercept. Everyone else thinks it's the technology.

Ok, but we are talking about the satellite.
The ships are in the ocean, not in Poland or Czech Republic for this mission.

 

[Truly]

Well, it is a brand-new state-of-the-art spy satellite, so I imagine there are reasons to prevent whatever is on there from landing intact, especially since there is no way to predict in advance where it is going to land. I suppose a full tank of frozen hydrazine could present a hazard if it landed in a populated area...

The Navy isn't exactly shooting it down. It is coming down regardless. The missile is intended to break it up into smaller pieces, so that there is more surface area exposed, which means that more of it will burn up in the atmosphere. Still, even if the missile hits the satellite, it will not just fall. The pieces that are left will continue down along roughly the same path and will land over a greater area.

It certainly is conceivable that the US is doing this mainly as a sabre-rattling show to demonstrate that our Anti Satellite weapons are as advanced as China's.

 

[Truly]

I don't know of any sites Truly - try googling key words.

Like "yahoo"?

Wasn't that Dr. Strangelove's final word?:crazy:

 

[Pharlap]

Like "yahoo"?

Wasn't that Dr. Strangelove's final word?:crazy:

We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when
But I know we'll meet again, some sunny day
Keep smiling through, just like you always do
Till the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away
So will you please say hello to the folks that I know
Tell them I won't be long
They'll be happy to know, that as you saw me go
I was singing this song...

​

:crazy:

http://www.filmsite.org/drst4.html

 

[Buzz Mills]

First attempt at an intercept moved up to late Wednesday afternoon, Hawaii time - Wed. evening/night for most of us - Thursday for the Aussies.

 

[philamena]

First attempt at an intercept moved up to late Wednesday afternoon, Hawaii time - Wed. evening/night for most of us - Thursday for the Aussies.

Thanks for the update Buzz1.
Maybe we should hold a vigil that night.

 

[Buzz Mills]

Thanks for the update Buzz1.
Maybe we should hold a vigil that night.

U.S. Navy Might Shoot Down Spy Satellite Wednesday Night

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military has issued aircraft advisories for a large area of the Pacific Ocean for the evenings of Feb. 20 and Feb. 21, setting off speculation that it will attempt to shoot down a wayward U.S. spy satellite on one or both of those nights. During a press conference Feb. 14 announcing plans to try to down the satellite as a safety measure, senior U.S. government officials said the attempt would occur somewhere over the Pacific during a several-day window that opens when NASA's space shuttle returns from its current mission.

The space shuttle Atlantis will have its first of four landing opportunities Feb. 20 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., at 9:07 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. Two Airmen Notifications were issued by the military Feb. 19 instructing aviators to stay clear of a large area west of Hawaii over the Pacific Ocean between the hours of 9:30 p.m. eastern time Feb. 20 and 12:00 a.m. Feb. 21; and for the same 150-minute window Feb. 21-22.

U.S. government officials said that if the first intercept is unsuccessful, there could be a second attempt within two days.

Though the satellite's objective is secret, many believe it is probably a high-resolution radar satellite intended to produce images for the National Reconnaissance Office. It carries a sophisticated and secret imaging sensor.
The satellite has a mass of about 5,015 pounds (2,275 kilograms).
The missile would be fired from a ship in the North Pacific Ocean.
The interception would occur at an altitude of about 149 miles (240 kilometers).
The satellite and missile would close on one another at a velocity of about 22,783 mph (36,667 kph).

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20080219/sc_space/usnavymightshootdownspysatellitewednesdaynight

 

[philamena]

:angel:
Let's definitely hold a vigil.

 

[dingo]

First attempt at an intercept moved up to late Wednesday afternoon, Hawaii time - Wed. evening/night for most of us - Thursday for the Aussies.

Im prepared..my bunker is complete and filled with refreshments

 

[panglossian]

I will be sitting in my lawn chair with a laundry basket to catch anything that falls into my yard. I'm so ready for my souvenir.

 

[dingo]

Is it worth anything....if so that might be a different story

 

[Truly]

Don't forget to watch the Total Eclipse Of The Moon!

http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/LEmono/TLE2008Feb21/TLE2008Feb21.html

 

[Trino]

I will be sitting in my lawn chair with a laundry basket to catch anything that falls into my yard. I'm so ready for my souvenir.

Maybe you'd better put it over your head (LOL).

Of course, if you do catch something, you might find the Feds in your yard wanting to investigate what you found.

 

[panglossian]

Maybe you'd better put it over your head (LOL).

I'll already be wearing a tin foil hat.:crazy:

 

[BarnGoddess]

I'll open the gate for the horses to run into the road. I'll make sure I call my insurance agent to see if my coverage will handle this. If so, I'll add my jewelry and sterling silver, then be ready to take off running.

 

[Buzz Mills]

The seven shuttle fliers, who were completing a 13-day mission to the international space station, plan to touch down today at NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 8:07 a.m. CST, with a backup landing opportunity at 9:42 a.m. CST.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5554322.html

Twelve hours after the Shuttle return, the Navy will attempt an intercept of the falling satellite West of Hawaii. That's a lot for one day.

 

[MsPooh]

Did anyone watch Star Wars when they were kids? I swear we played out these types of scenarios! Well kinda anyway...where is Luke?