Duck! Falling Satellite Arrives on Sunday

reply to post by TrueBrit


Looks like it's back up now.

ETA - five minutes later - down again!

C'mon people! This is ATS!

Just a heads up....

I found a site that's tracking this thing in real time

Keep an eye on this Falling Satelite

reply to post by Maluhia


I guess everyone who possesses both eyeballs and an internet connection is looking at this, either that or the site has the worst tech support people on the face of the world.

Bummer. I would have liked to monitor this situation.

Maluhia
reply to post by teslahowitzer

 

Considering how much junk is up there - and the potential threat - sounds like a good idea. Unfortunately, our military is a bit too focused on "enhancing certain pockets".

They do not concern themselves with "Collateral Damage" (that be you and me) now if it were to hit a modern military base it would be blown out of the sky...

At what altitude does this thing officially start its re-entry? It is currently flying from north to south over north america altitude 152 at latitude 53 long 99

whatnext21
At what altitude does this thing officially start its re-entry? It is currently flying from north to south over north america altitude 152 at latitude 53 long 99

I think you're a bit off time...

the live link I posted says it just passed Madagascar

reply to post by Akragon


The site is unavailable, as has been previously mentioned.

It's a pain.

Try this site

www.satflare.com...

Shall we take bets where it will land?

reply to post by Maluhia


Ah, much better!

Cheers!

May have fallen already last night

You do know that these program will stil show them going around after they have gone down

and those projection could be out by as much as 5 to 15 minute off in a fast fall

reply to post by Maluhia

Some enterprising sort needs to start a "Space Wrecker Service". With as many aging bits of machinery, hardware and junk as are out there, carrying the potential of doing massive damage/injury down here - it would be a worthy investment.
Just need somewhere to haul all of it -- Space Scrap Yard.

reply to post by Trillium

You do know that these program will still show them going around after they have gone down

Yep. Its not actually live feeding from the satellite itself. Just the computer projection from the last contact either by onboard systems or ground tracking radar.

Wherj you find that video?

reply to post by Trillium

May have fallen already last night

I suppose, but if it fell safely wouldn't they have announced it by now? Projections have all been for tonight into Monday.

Does anyone know at what point altitude-wise that its orbit would start decaying rapidly and its rate of descent really starts to pick up?

Not asking where that happens, just at what point altitude-wise it would happen.

Latest update I could find -

We've seen the spacecraft again over Kiruna at 19:56 CET (18:56 UTC), at an altitude of around 126 km. GOCE is still doing great; temperature of the central computer now above 50 degC. Next contact is expected at KSAT's Troll station in Antarctica at 20:50 CET (19:50 UTC).

[url]http://blogs.esa.int/rocketscience/2013/11/10/update-from-esoc-2015-cet/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=update-from-esoc-2015-cet[/ur l]

Can't get link to work.

Now they're estimating re-entry within the next two hours

The European Space Agency estimates that a satellite weighing 2,425 pounds (1,100 kilograms) will fall somewhere on Earth anytime between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in an uncontrolled descent from an orbital height of less than 80 miles (130 kilometers).

According to the latest GOCE satellite status update at 3:20 p.m. on Sunday, November 10, 2013, contact was made with the satellite at 2:50 EST at Antarctica’s Troll station.

space.brevardtimes.com...

reply to post by Maluhia

Interesting.Somebody will catch it on YouTube and we'll see it here, I hope.

reply to post by Riffrafter

Does anyone know at what point altitude-wise that its orbit would start decaying rapidly and its rate of descent really starts to pick up?

Not asking where that happens, just at what point altitude-wise it would happen.

Hard to say. Something I read said the earths atmosphere is not smooth. Like the surface of the earth there are bumps and valleys. As the craft nears the top of these "peaks" it will be like driving your car along the beach. As long as you drive on the sand you maintain speed, as soon as you touch the edge of the surf, the car slows down and then speeds up again when you pass thru the wave. If you could see the craft from the ground it would appear to light up for a moment and then go out, light up, go out.

Thats the initial phase of reentry into the atmosphere. Those are "braking" moments for the craft and it will be caught by the atmosphere quicker at that point. I don't know how high that it is.