USA-165 satellite reentry

With all the news about the GOCE satellite entering the atmosphere yesterday, I searched the internet for a website that keeps track of the next satellite reentry, which turns out to be Nov 12th (2013 as I'm posting this). I hadn't realized they are this common.

Reentry

Obviously if you read this link in a few days, the data will have changed. Here is it archived:

XSS-11 (USA 165) Space Command ID: 28636 Launched: April 11, 2005 - 13:35 UTC Launch Site: Vandenberg AFB Launch Vehicle: Minotaur I Re-Entry Prediction: November 12, 2013 Inclination: 98.5° Mass: 138kg Purpose: Tech Demonstrator for Proximity Operations

There is a wiki on USA-165. It is a satellite designed to spy on other satellites.
USA-165

This is a write up on the GOCE decay:
GOCE

I think I read something about this in a local paper, I think they said it was something like 1 in 30000 chance of it actually hitting the ground, maybe I'm thinking of something else though.

reply to post by jmsbkr


It is only the size of a washing machine so most likely it wouldn't make it to the ground. Might be a nice light show if you could see it but that probably won't happen either. Unless it ran out of fuel (it is able to maneuver in orbit) the Air force might do a controlled re-entry in the middle of an ocean somewhere.

reply to post by jmsbkr


The earth is mostly ocean, so the estimate is probably correct.

I don't think USA-165 will make the news because it isn't very big. I just found it interesting how commonplace these entries are.

And three days later...no news. Go figure.

reply to post by gariac


Yup...nothing but crickets. I think the major news agencies figured it would never make it the the ground and cause "Panic and Devastation!", so decided to gloss over it.