Intense Solar Storm Spins Satellite Out of Control

www.foxnews.com...

Updated May 03, 2010

Intense Solar Storm Spins Satellite Out of Control

Peter B. de Selding - Space.com

Galaxy 15 stopped responding to ground controllers on April 5. The satellite's manufacturer, Orbital Sciences Corp. of Virginia, has said an intense solar storm in early April may be to blame.

An adrift Intelsat satellite that stopped communicating with its ground controllers last month remains out of control and has begun moving eastward along the geostationary arc, raising the threat of interference with other satellites in its path, Intelsat and other industry officials said.

In what industry officials called an unprecedented event, Intelsat's Galaxy 15 communications satellite has remained fully "on," with its C-band telecommunications payload still functioning even as it has left its assigned orbital slot of 133 degrees west longitude 36,000 kilometers over the equator.

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More at link...

This baby could certainly knock your cable off. As I work in the industry I knew there were problems with the bird but I didnt know that they had lost control of it totally untill today. The other satallites nearby are in danger now,so look out things could get interesting.

Makes you wonder how many more satellites will spin out of control with the increasing number of solar storms.


Here's a tip taken from www.abovetopsecret.com...

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[edit on 3-5-2010 by ghr54321]