Massive German satellite will fall to Earth this week

A defunct German satellite is expected to plunge to Earth this week, but exactly when and where the satellite will fall remains a mystery.

The massive German Roentgen Satellite, or ROSAT, is expected to plummet to Earth on Saturday or Sunday (Oct. 22 or 23), though German space officials have also offered a wider re-entry window of between Oct. 21 and Oct. 25. This latest falling satellite comes about a month after a dead NASA climate satellite, called the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), plunged into the Pacific Ocean in late September.

It seems we will have another satellite de-orbit very soon. I had not heard about this one myself. But then I do not really follow the space programs from other countries that close, unless it is a big story. This makes me wonder just how many other countries have defunct satellites due for de-orbit in the near future.

I read about that yesterday. They said that most of its components were heat resistant and so were expected to survive the fires of re-entry.

The largest part that will plunge to Earth is a 1.7 TON mirror. Sure hope that thing falls in the ocean!!

Who says these object falling from the sky are sattelites?I mean cmon nasa could track the UARS outside our earth but cant tell us where it landed?,maybe be one to watch????

In regard to the mirror situation...does that mean someone is facing a severe 7 years ahead LOL?

reply to post by FissionSurplus


Hmm hope it lands near me so I can snag it. That would make my wife happy.

Originally posted by byeluvolk

A defunct German satellite is expected to plunge to Earth this week, but exactly when and where the satellite will fall remains a mystery.

The massive German Roentgen Satellite, or ROSAT, is expected to plummet to Earth on Saturday or Sunday (Oct. 22 or 23), though German space officials have also offered a wider re-entry window of between Oct. 21 and Oct. 25. This latest falling satellite comes about a month after a dead NASA climate satellite, called the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), plunged into the Pacific Ocean in late September.

It seems we will have another satellite de-orbit very soon. I had not heard about this one myself. But then I do not really follow the space programs from other countries that close, unless it is a big story. This makes me wonder just how many other countries have defunct satellites due for de-orbit in the near future.

edit on 17-10-2011 by byeluvolk because: (no reason given)

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www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by byeluvolk


So it could be friday ? hmmmmmm , BS or BUG OUT PACK ? .............. oO ? Oo ?
Friday is a big topic lately, guess im not gonna get to play Skyrim afterall... i knew it was too good to be true .. fcuking freemasons and their big magnets, they pull a possible earth exploding comet towards us every few years... satellite ... my arse ... *puts tinfoil hat back on*

reply to post by ScottishBiker420


Well tracking a satellite in orbit is far easier than tracking it in our atmosphere. First in orbit you know its planned path, so you are not so much tracking it as just pointing your antenna where it is “supposed” to be. Second it is at an altitude where it can be “seen” from many places. So even if you were trying to “track” it with radar for instance, it could be seen from a wide area. As it gets lower in altitude, it becomes harder to track as the radar site to track it needs to be close and closer to the object being tracked. Eventually it is going to leave an area with tracking capability. As in fly over an ocean where the radar can no longer see it. Then, it never reappears on any radar stations along its last known trajectory, so you can safely assume it landed somewhere in the ocean along that trajectory. However the exact spot is not going to be known unless someone was nearby to see it.

reply to post by byeluvolk


Thanks for clearing that up,when you mention the ocean situation my comment did seem rather silly haha,shames its a "satellite" and not something cool like spacerocks or green punters

reply to post by ScottishBiker420


Yes I keep waiting for the day that it IS little green men. But I fear it will not be in my life time.

Mysterious fireball at high speed over the Norwegian sky
Powerful blast in Gudbrandsdalen

Link

It is going to land sometime between 21st and 24th this month, south America to Canada.

I'm wondering whats causing them to drop, co-incidence? solar flare?

Originally posted by woogleuk
I'm wondering whats causing them to drop, co-incidence? solar flare?

Myabe one of these?

Originally posted by awcgs
This makes me wonder just how many other countries have defunct satellites due for de-orbit in the near future.

Just a few...

i think you can track that sat here

Originally posted by FissionSurplus
I read about that yesterday. They said that most of its components were heat resistant and so were expected to survive the fires of re-entry.

The largest part that will plunge to Earth is a 1.7 TON mirror. Sure hope that thing falls in the ocean!!

Goodness, they keep getting bigger, dont they?
Perhaps this is the end of the world Harold Camping is waiting for? Directly over him?

Seriously, what is making all of these seem to be falling one after the other now??? Is there no way to self-destruct these up there?

reply to post by dgtempe


I'm sure the yanks blew one up with a missile, just to show it could be done......

As for them coming down, somethings certainly knocking them out quick, could me normal for all we know.

EDIT: Yes they did, or they planned too, to stop the leak of toxic gases into the atmosphere. Weird, I searched for this using the same keywords just a few days ago and couldn't find it, now i got it as first link :S

www.reuters.com...

I can't imagine much of it surviving re-entry, despite it having heat proofing, if that shielding wasn't designed for re-entry then it won't survive!

Although it could be a pretty nice show!

Cheers

Robbie

reply to post by stratsys-sws


Not all of it will be burnable, and it will slow down dramatically when it hits the atmosphere, once it goes under a certain speed the friction eases off and whatever is left will hit.

You'd think there would be more news coverage
October 21st is tomorrow...