Defunct Spy Satellite Falling From Orbit

reply to post by V Kaminski

This site logs you though eh... they know what sat your IP is watching... likely a db. Not a big deal... it's the Pentagon's internet anyway.

I notice that too and it was really creepy when I linked on the site. It makes you wonder if the other source sites are not doing the same thing and there just isn't a helpful box posted. It makes you feel like the phone disclaimer...this call may be monitored for quality assurance purposes....ummm ok. Glad you are "on" this Vic...I have enjoyed your continuing assessments.

Peace.

reply to post by V Kaminski


Thankyou for the reply , yes it seems to match.

and yes the ip log is a nice touch !! , but as you say they know anyway ..lol

thanks for the good posts on this topic.

snoopyuk

Wah, wah, wahtching it decay... 169.12, 169.1.... when it hits ... yeah it's comin' down. It should be more or less predictable... 168.5...

4 miles in minutes... it's comin' down folks... comin' up on CONUS now... how many obits before it goes terminal?

Vic

[edit on 4-2-2008 by V Kaminski]

reply to post by V Kaminski


yep i am watching it too...what height do you reckon it will start breaking up ??


thanks

snoopyuk

Only a guess but aero heating will start at about 200,000 feet... then it depends on the weather... maybe down another 5 or 6 miles before bits start flying off... Russkies could take it out real sweet and drop it in the drink... they won't. It's political... egg on face stuff. Remember that it's the average decline per orbit... it does gain altitude on the "other side"... but it is falling.

Vic

reply to post by V Kaminski


so about 38miles down to about 30 miles ??

i think my conversion from feet is correct .

snoopyuk

That's my guess snoop'. I have some mean orbital decline numbers... some, not enough... but I make deorbit the 27th of Feb. I'll try some buds and see what they say after the workday GMT -5:00.

The orbital velocity fluctuates a bit more than I'd have thought... it should be visible next pass over the Indian Ocean... about an hour or so away...

Cheers,

Vic

[edit on 4-2-2008 by V Kaminski]

reply to post by V Kaminski


Hey thats cool ...as i too had the 27th of feb in my calcs ..

keep in touch

snoopyuk

Sorry for my total lack of knowledge here...I've been following this thread for a few days, and this satellite is what actually brought me to the ATS site (very informative and thought provoking site btw).

I've had the real time satellite tracking page open for an hour or so while I was going about some errands, and noticed that the altitude is going up? I assumed the altitude was the distance from the earth, but am thinking now that I'm obviously mistaken (wouldn't be the first time ).

What exactly is that altitude? Or IS it the distance from earth, but the satellite is moving up and down? Geez, I feel very noobish, but had to ask

Michelle

My question is this....

Why would they tell us this, if its a secret????

Smells of fish,

oh thats me, I apologize

reply to post by Michelle129


hi there michelle and welcome to ATS,

it is mainly due to the fact it is not a smooth surface up there, as explained earlier in the thread it is best to imagine it being hilly or bumpy.

it is slowly coming down though, i have been watching it for a day now.

thanks

snoopyuk

reply to post by Michelle129


Hi. This is explained by the fact that US193 NROL-21 does not have a perfectly circular orbit. It's kind of an oval "pinched" North-South approximately. It's velocity and altitude will change according to the point on the "oval" (it's an ellipse - don't worry about it too much). It can get a bit technical.

Here's a link to the UTC clock that shows night/day. Relate US 193 to that and a sighting should be no problem with binoculars and a laptop. If it's tumbling in sunlight it will sparkle as it moves, an hour or so after sunset is the best time to start looking. It'll just be a pin-prick with no tail or anything spectacular... until later.

Cheers,

Vic

[edit on 4-2-2008 by V Kaminski]

Vic and Snoopy,

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my question. It makes much more sense now. Thanks for not making fun of my very silly question

Michelle

reply to post by Michelle129


hi michelle ,
no problem .....my motto is never ridicule those wanting to learn more !!

feel free to ask any more questions, i am sure myself and Vic can help you

snoopyuk

[edit on 4-2-2008 by snoopyuk]

reply to post by Michelle129


There are no silly questions if they are asked out of genuine interest. A good question asked by one can answer for many. BTW: USA 193 seems to have dropped about 0.1 mile last orbit. Snoop is correct to point out that the atmosphere is lumpy... likely one of those lumps will trigger the terminal descent phase in the end.

Welcome to ATS,

Vic



[edit on 4-2-2008 by V Kaminski]

It would seem some folks are picking the 24th +/- 14 days. Um, it would appear possible that this was the "First Flight Test of the new Experimental Synthetic Aperture Radar Imaging Spacecraft?" Some decent tech info in the full piece.

Me? Don't care about the politics. It's a Lockheed, it's coming down.

Vic

EDIT: Handy link for naked-eye sat-watching for the "Would you like to know more?" interested. It's a bit "dry" but valid data. satobs.org

Just crossing Iran now. China or really just about anyone with a military or big pockets "could" plug it. If it was above the UN "International" space boundary (like international waters) what might happen if... hmmm. Perplexing. Why did they announce it? If they didn't in response to a few who do observe... what "if" they no longer observed. It's all a bit messed up.

EDIT: Assume it's diasbled... could one shoot it with a railgun??????? And get away with it? Hmmm.

And one weather "thing"; A friend has just pointed me to some good data at the BBC that pointed elsewhere... where there was an opinion on "worst case weather"... not really worst case but interesting. USA 193 hits a lump and starts to come down that orbit... and what if there were a tropical depression in the LZ? Hmmm.

What's next? GPS pizza? Wink.

[edit on 4-2-2008 by V Kaminski]

reply to post by V Kaminski


Vic ,please see this thread:


www.abovetopsecret.com...

thanks
snoopyuk

reply to post by snoopyuk



I did thanks, Patrick Moore is legendary. So I went looking... for a bit more data in relation to satellite observations and stuff. US Naval Observatory isn't listing it. www.usno.navy.mil... I tried to find the US Spacom sat and orbital debris map... it used to be available but I couldn't find it. Speed is varying in between 16,700 and 16,800MPH.

Hey, if one opens the link to "5 Day predictions" it will show you when you can see it... they know where we are. LOL. This site is not hiding anything or doing anything sinister that I can tell. www.n2yo.com...

Iran's got their "satellite" up. It sat on the pad an extra seven seconds but then flew... it made space and it's up there now. 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0 ... that'll ruffle a few Eagle feathers. STS-122 is up soon...

Lotta co-inky-dinks and happen-stances of unusual natures these days. Interesting times around this planet.

Vic

[edit on 4-2-2008 by V Kaminski]

reply to post by V Kaminski


yes indeed, i too couldnt find the US Spacom sat and orbital debris map anymore.

and yes interesting times....looking forward to the next STS.


snoopyuk

[edit on 4-2-2008 by snoopyuk]

166.33 was the lowest the pass that I just watched...


list the lowest you observe and we will see where this baby is going :O