NASA say defunct satellite due to plunge to earth

08-09-2011 12:03pm #1

Hi, not sure if you all heard, or are interested

NASA are due to hold a press conference this friday to discuss the impending reentry of UARS satellite.

Some pieces are expected to hit the ground.

The satellite's current orbit is 155 by 174 miles (250 by 280 kilometers), with an inclination of 57 degrees. That means the satellite could come down anywhere between 57 degrees north latitude and 57 degrees south. NASA estimated that the debris footprint would stretch about 500 miles

some info here:

http://www.space.com/12859-nasa-satellite-falling-space-debris-uars.html

08-09-2011 12:08pm

people have been asked not to touch any pieces they may come across, but to instead contact local law enforcement.

08-09-2011 2:35pm

heres another link with some info onit, just for you Beeker, since everyone else here is too cool to be interested

https://sites.google.com/site/uarsreentry/home

Beeker · 08-09-2011 4:05pm

Jake1 wrote: »

heres another link with some info onit, just for you Beeker, since everyone else here is too cool to be interested

https://sites.google.com/site/uarsreentry/home

Ah yeah, if its in space I'm interested my friend!:)

Beeker · 08-09-2011 4:10pm

The satellite is the UARS Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, launched by the Shuttle on Flight STS-48 in 1991.

ODubhain82 · 08-09-2011 4:58pm

Finders keepers?

ger vallely · 08-09-2011 5:08pm

Some good links on there,interesting,thanks!

08-09-2011 5:20pm

ODubhain82 wrote: »

Finders keepers?

thing is, you wouldnt want to touch it, highly toxic, from what I hear.

check out this link

http://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/11040.htm

jumpjack · 12-09-2011 11:43am

Follow it on Heavnes-Above.com:
http://heavens-above.com/satinfo.aspx?lat=0&lng=0&alt=0&loc=Unspecified&TZ=CET&SatID=21701

Rubecula · 12-09-2011 1:00pm

Any precious metals in it?

*Digs out his gardening gloves and fishing net on a stick*

Discodog · 12-09-2011 1:06pm

Jake1 wrote: »

thing is, you wouldnt want to touch it, highly toxic, from what I hear.

check out this link

http://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/11040.htm

Oh the old "it's dangerous" trick

Bet that bits of it end up on ebay or fake bits !

12-09-2011 4:07pm

Discodog wrote: »

Oh the old "it's dangerous" trick

Bet that bits of it end up on ebay or fake bits !

would certainly be very tempting to keep a bit

Seanie M · 14-09-2011 9:29am

I call dibs! :P

John mac · 16-09-2011 4:18pm

If any of it lands near me i'm keeping it.

Nasa latest

Cork boy 55 · 16-09-2011 5:55pm

Chinese have a satellite killer machine

on the downside it creates huge amount of space junk after the KILL

Captain Chaos · 16-09-2011 6:02pm

Cork boy 55 wrote: »

Chinese have a satellite killer machine

on the downside it creates huge amount of space junk after the KILL

So do the US but they don't want to use it for that very reason. They have been intercepting satellites in tests in the '80s using special missiles on a modified F-15 from a zoom climb.

Today they can use a variant of the SM6 missile that's loaded on all USN cruisers and destroyers.

Discodog · 16-09-2011 6:06pm

John mac wrote: »

If any of it lands near me i'm keeping it.

Nasa latest

You might have no choice if it lands on your house

Sponge Bob · 16-09-2011 6:43pm

It will be passing near Ireland on sat and sun and after that we will never see it again.

NoQuarter · 17-09-2011 3:10pm

Sponge Bob wrote: »

It will be passing near Ireland on sat and sun and after that we will never see it again.

Thats quite the calculation you have done there.

jumpjack · 17-09-2011 3:13pm

The biggest part falling down will weight around 120 kg; all parts together will weight around 500 kg:
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/585584main_UARS_Status.pdf

You have 1/3200 chance of being hit by one.

mike65 · 17-09-2011 3:15pm

Can I sue NASA for billions if it hits my place?

Discodog · 17-09-2011 3:32pm

NoQuarter wrote: »

Thats quite the calculation you have done there.

Don't underestimate Bob - he's now on his way to collect the pieces

jumpjack wrote: »

The biggest part falling down will weight around 120 kg; all parts together will weight around 500 kg:
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/585584main_UARS_Status.pdf

You have 1/3200 chance of being hit by one.

So 120kg falling at terminal velocity - that's some crater :eek:

Joking apart it will probably hit the sea & no one will be hurt but there could be huge repercussions if it hit a populated area especially one that is not US friendly - so about 80% of the World !

The Hill Billy · 17-09-2011 4:11pm

jumpjack wrote: »

You have 1/3200 chance of being hit by one.

No. There is a 1/3200 chance that it a piece will hit someone. There's a big difference.

Discodog · 17-09-2011 4:18pm

Maybe we need to all spread out to avoid the risk

It could be a great way to target an enemy like Iran's nuclear reactor - but there was nothing we could do it was an act of God !

The Hill Billy · 17-09-2011 4:46pm

Discodog wrote: »

It could be a great way to target an enemy like Iran's nuclear reactor...

[off-topic]
Iran are Ireland's enemy?
News to me.
[/off-topic]

Discodog · 17-09-2011 6:59pm

The Hill Billy wrote: »

[off-topic]
Iran are Ireland's enemy?
News to me.
[/off-topic]

It's not Ireland's satellite so if it could be targeted it might be towards a perceived enemy of it's maker.

The Hill Billy · 17-09-2011 11:15pm

Ah, gotcha!

To self: Doh!

Daniel S · 20-09-2011 11:22am

Jake1 wrote: »

people have been asked not to touch any pieces they may come across, but to instead contact local law enforcement.

Yea, could be radioactive :rolleyes:

The Hill Billy wrote: »

No. There is a 1/3200 chance that it a piece will hit someone. There's a big difference.

It's one in 3200 chance that someone will be hit, and 1 it 27 trillion that you will be hit.

The Hill Billy wrote: »

[off-topic]
Iran are Ireland's enemy?
News to me.
[/off-topic]

Yea, they don't like us as we're one of the American neutral countries... :pac:

BULLER · 20-09-2011 11:36am

The Hill Billy wrote: »

[off-topic]
Iran are Ireland's enemy?
News to me.
[/off-topic]

No, of course not! We're bezzie mates with them and North Korea. Great buncha lads...

Think this deserves some highlighting: 1 in 27 trillion that you will be hit.

Daniel S · 20-09-2011 11:40am

BULLER wrote: »

No, of course not! We're bezzie mates with them and North Korea. Great buncha lads...

Think this deserves some highlighting: 1 in 27 trillion that you will be hit.

Sure Kim Il-sung's family are decendants of the Il-sung's of Leitrim.

markfla · 21-09-2011 3:58am

This is actual footage of the satellite over France, impressive footage.

Verres · 21-09-2011 12:46pm

mtb_kng wrote: »

Sure Kim Il-sung's family are decendants of the Il-sung's of Leitrim.

I know you were kidding, but "Kim" is the family name. Kim Il-Sung, son of Kim Jong-Il.

So you mean the Kims from Leitrim. I know them well

Verres · 21-09-2011 12:49pm

Verres wrote: »

I know you were kidding, but "Kim" is the family name. Kim Il-Sung, son of Kim Jong-Il.

So you mean the Kims from Leitrim. I know them well

He was the father of Kim Jong-Il, apols. not son. Still, family name "kim"

22-09-2011 4:08pm

Some updates on the satellite.
One report says some of it may fall in Italy 23rd sept @22 hrs.

http://www.agi.it/english-version/world/elenco-notizie/201109220912-cro-ren1011-some_us_satellite_debris_might_fall_on_italy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwnNTllrAdM&feature=player_embedded

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15021323

below from space track.org

Catalog Number 21701
Common Name UARS
Country/Organization US
Predicted Decay Date/Time 2011-09-24 01:59:00 GMT +/- 144 Hours
Prediction Date/Time 2011-09-14 15:52:00 GMT

TIP Reports for Object 21701, UARS, US

Report Date/Time 2011-09-14 15:52:00 GMT
Predicted Decay Time 2011-09-24 01:59:00 GMT +/- 144 Hours
Predicted Decay Location 2° S, 52.2° E
Direction descending
Inclination 57°
Revolution Number 10918
High Interest Object N
Next Report 168 Hours
Trajectory

Time Lat. Lon.
2011-09-24 00:44:00 50.9° S 121.7° E
2011-09-24 00:59:00 40.4° S 211.6° E
2011-09-24 01:14:00 9.9° N 247.7° E
2011-09-24 01:29:00 53.8° N 299.6° E
2011-09-24 01:44:00 35.5° N 26.1° E

derra · 22-09-2011 4:34pm

markfla wrote: »

This is actual footage of the satellite over France, impressive footage.

By Thierry Legault who also captured the image of the solar transit of the International Space Station (ISS) and Space Shuttle Atlantis.

jimmynokia · 22-09-2011 5:51pm

In todays indo watch out people

By Andy Bloxham
Thursday September 22 2011
A 20-YEAR-OLD NASA satellite the size of a bus is heading for Earth and expected to hit tomorrow.

NASA and the US Department of Defense are tracking the 35ft spacecraft, the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, or (UARS), as it heads towards the planet at five miles per second.

Experts say there is a one-in-3,200 risk of the six-ton space junk hitting someone.

However, its speed means that there will only be a 20-minute warning before it strikes.

Debris is expected to scatter across a 500-mile area, with the biggest chunk weighing 300lb, the weight of a large refridgerator.

The anticipated landing area spans cities as far north as Edinburgh and as far south as Cape Horn, on the southern coast of South America.

NASA spokespeople have stressed that the risk to human life and property from UARS is small.

They cite the statistic that in 50 years of space exploration no one has ever been hurt by falling space junk, while they claimed that people were much more likely to be fatally struck by lightning.

Mark Matney, an orbital debris scientist at NASA, said: "We know it is going to hit somewhere between 57 north latitude and 57 south latitude, which covers most of the inhabited world unfortunately."

The biggest piece of space debris to fall from orbit was America's 75-ton Skylab which hit Earth in 1979.

UARS was launched in 1991 to measure the ozone layer, wind and temperature. It was officially decommissioned in 2005.

It is the biggest NASA spacecraft to "come back" in three decades, after Skylab fell in western Australia but Mr Matney said similar-sized pieces of spent rocket and satellite debris fall to Earth about once per year.

US Strategic Command's Joint Space Operations Center is "keeping everyone - not just NASA but all the federal agencies that deal with public safety issues - informed about where it is and predictions of where it's coming," a spokeswoman said.

NASA has warned people not to touch the debris if they come across it because it is likely to have sharp edges.

- Andy Bloxham

murrayp4 · 22-09-2011 8:15pm

Just missed the report on the 9 news.What time is it due to cross Ireland?

parrai · 22-09-2011 8:20pm

murrayp4 wrote: »

Just missed the report on the 9 news.What time is it due to cross Ireland?

Apparently 6 hours time, with Galway and Wexford in line

Davaeo09 · 22-09-2011 8:21pm

murrayp4 wrote: »

Just missed the report on the 9 news.What time is it due to cross Ireland?

I think it said some time between 2-3.30am. Was only on in the background and I wasn't paying attention!
If anyone could confirm this?

Thanks

zenno · 23-09-2011 1:16am

will be closest approach dublin Ireland friday 23rd sept

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8vGxvtQBgs

uars satellite tracking... http://www.n2yo.com/?s=21701

Cú Giobach · 23-09-2011 7:28am

Looks like Galway escaped last night,

You can keep an eye on the thingy here.

12april1981 · 23-09-2011 7:47am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNHffbAxVh4

And this is the shuttle launch that brought UARS to space

CaptainSkidmark · 23-09-2011 3:26pm

any idea when its ment to crash?

John mac · 23-09-2011 4:47pm

CaptainSkidmark wrote: »

any idea when its ment to crash?

Update #10
Fri, 23 Sep 2011 03:45:08 PM GMT+0100

As of 10:30 a.m. EDT on Sept. 23, 2011, the orbit of UARS was 100 miles by 105 miles (160 km by 170 km). Re-entry is expected late Friday, Sept. 23, or early Saturday, Sept. 24, Eastern Daylight Time. Solar activity is no longer the major factor in the satellite’s rate of descent. The satellite’s orientation or configuration apparently has changed, and that is now slowing its descent. There is a low probability any debris that survives re-entry will land in the United States, but the possibility cannot be discounted because of this changing rate of descent. It is still too early to predict the time and location of re-entry with any certainty, but predictions will become more refined in the next 12 to 18 hours.

updated from here

bpb101 · 23-09-2011 6:02pm

im sure we've all heard that at around 2, 30 am tonight the satilite will be over ireland
nasa say that they own it and not to touch it , or sell it
but what the legal deal their
can you sell it because it has enter your property.
is it not the old women at the end of the road talking your ball when it went over the wall.

hope this would be the best place for the legal side of this flying rock

shedweller · 23-09-2011 7:05pm

Probably an obvious question but do airliners flying in a known re-entry zone have to redirect when something like this happens?

jimmynokia · 23-09-2011 7:07pm

just boarded plane and was wondering the same myself

Captain Chaos · 23-09-2011 7:15pm

I'd imagine they use the Big Sky theory and play the odds that it won't happen. It covers too much sky too quickly to re-route airliners on the fly. The thing is the size of a bus and there are about 6 parts each the size of a large fridge expected to survive moving at least 10,000mph.