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Spy satellite to fall from orbit



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 30th 08, 12:46 PM posted to sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe
JS
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default Spy satellite to fall from orbit

I'm sure by now most readers of this newsgroup have seen the story of
the disabled spy satellite expected to fall from orbit about a month
from now.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080126/...dead_satellite

Anybody know which classifed satellite this is?

I read some speculation that it was a KH-11 class satellite which
would make it quite large. About the size of Hubble...
  #2  
Old January 30th 08, 01:10 PM posted to sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe, sci.astro.amateur
Charles Packer
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 19
Default Spy satellite to fall from orbit

On Jan 30, 6:46*am, JS wrote:
I'm sure by now most readers of this newsgroup have seen the story of
the disabled spy satellite expected to fall from orbit about a month
from now.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080126/...dead_satellite
Anybody know which classifed satellite this is? *
I read some speculation that it was a KH-11 class satellite which
would make it quite large. *About the size of Hubble...


An amateur satellite watcher has said he thinks it
weighs up to 10,000 pounds.

Here's the AP story from today..
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080130/...dead_satellite
in which the authorities themselves are already saying
that it might hit North America.

The article points out that many amateurs track spy
satellites...so I've crossposted to sci.astro.amateur
to get a larger audience (at risk of being flamed for
mentioning satellites in an astronomy newsgroup).
I would like to know of any Web sites where this
satellite's demise will be tracked, on the faint hope
that, you know, I might be able to monitor them
and run outside at just the right moment to see
the thing go overhead, flaming (not of the newsgroup
variety).

--
Charles Packer
http://cpacker.org/whatnews
mailboxATcpacker.org
  #3  
Old January 30th 08, 01:21 PM posted to sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe,sci.astro.amateur
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2
Default Spy satellite to fall from orbit

Charles Packer wrote:
On Jan 30, 6:46 am, JS wrote:
I'm sure by now most readers of this newsgroup have seen the story of
the disabled spy satellite expected to fall from orbit about a month
from now.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080126/...dead_satellite
Anybody know which classifed satellite this is?
I read some speculation that it was a KH-11 class satellite which
would make it quite large. About the size of Hubble...


An amateur satellite watcher has said he thinks it
weighs up to 10,000 pounds.

Here's the AP story from today..
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080130/...dead_satellite
in which the authorities themselves are already saying
that it might hit North America.

The article points out that many amateurs track spy
satellites...so I've crossposted to sci.astro.amateur
to get a larger audience (at risk of being flamed for
mentioning satellites in an astronomy newsgroup).
I would like to know of any Web sites where this
satellite's demise will be tracked, on the faint hope
that, you know, I might be able to monitor them
and run outside at just the right moment to see
the thing go overhead, flaming (not of the newsgroup
variety).

--
Charles Packer
http://cpacker.org/whatnews
mailboxATcpacker.org

At least one of the stories says it is USA 193

http://www.kansascity.com/news/nation/story/467052.html

http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/e-305.htm

Should be a good show if it comes down near anyone.
  #4  
Old January 31st 08, 05:13 AM posted to sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe,sci.astro.amateur
Skywise
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 318
Default Spy satellite to fall from orbit

Charles Packer wrote in news:3697f6b6-585e-4506-a04a-
:

I would like to know of any Web sites where this
satellite's demise will be tracked


http://www.heavens-above.com

http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html

Brian
--
http://www.skywise711.com - Lasers, Seismology, Astronomy, Skepticism
Seismic FAQ: http://www.skywise711.com/SeismicFAQ/SeismicFAQ.html
Quake "predictions": http://www.skywise711.com/quakes/EQDB/index.html
Sed quis custodiet ipsos Custodes?
  #5  
Old January 31st 08, 11:35 AM posted to sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe, sci.astro.amateur
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9,472
Default Spy satellite to fall from orbit

On Jan 30, 7:10 am, Charles Packer wrote:
On Jan 30, 6:46 am, JS wrote:

I'm sure by now most readers of this newsgroup have seen the story of
the disabled spy satellite expected to fall from orbit about a month
from now.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080126/...dead_satellite
Anybody know which classifed satellite this is?
I read some speculation that it was a KH-11 class satellite which
would make it quite large. About the size of Hubble...


An amateur satellite watcher has said he thinks it
weighs up to 10,000 pounds.

Here's the AP story from today..http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080130/...dead_satellite
in which the authorities themselves are already saying
that it might hit North America.

The article points out that many amateurs track spy
satellites...so I've crossposted to sci.astro.amateur
to get a larger audience (at risk of being flamed for
mentioning satellites in an astronomy newsgroup).
I would like to know of any Web sites where this
satellite's demise will be tracked, on the faint hope
that, you know, I might be able to monitor them
and run outside at just the right moment to see
the thing go overhead, flaming (not of the newsgroup
variety).

--
Charles Packerhttp://cpacker.org/whatnews
mailboxATcpacker.org


This Web site might be of some help:

http://www.reentrynews.com/upcoming.html
  #6  
Old February 14th 08, 11:41 PM posted to sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe,sci.astro.amateur
JS
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default Military will try to shoot down spy satellite

Latest news is that the U.S. will try to shoot down the errant
satellite believed to be in the KH-11 class. The pretext is that the
spy satellite contains "hydrazine propellant" that could be hazardous
to humans, but I wonder? I'm sure the military wouldn't want anyone
getting their hands on any debris falling over land...

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/0...ite/index.html



  #7  
Old February 15th 08, 12:53 AM posted to sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe,sci.astro.amateur
Shawn[_7_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 25
Default Military will try to shoot down spy satellite

Sam Wormley wrote:
JS wrote:
Latest news is that the U.S. will try to shoot down the errant
satellite believed to be in the KH-11 class. The pretext is that the
spy satellite contains "hydrazine propellant" that could be hazardous
to humans, but I wonder? I'm sure the military wouldn't want anyone
getting their hands on any debris falling over land...

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/0...ite/index.html





Space Weather News for Feb. 14, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

Malfunctioning spy satellite USA 193 has been in the news lately because
of expectations that it will reenter Earth's atmosphere in March and
turn into a spectacular fireball. Reentry has not yet begun, but sky
watchers are already noticing the satellite as it zips over Europe and
the United States shining as brightly as a first or second magnitude
star. Typical photos are shown on today's edition of
http://spaceweather.com.

In fact, USA 193 may never reenter--at least not in one piece. Today,
the Pentagon announced it will attempt to blast the satellite with a
missile before its orbit decays. This would lessen the chances of
dangerous satellite debris and fuel reaching the ground while increasing
the population of space junk in low-Earth orbit.


I doubt if many of the pieces of the satellite will attain sufficient
energy from the impact (or explosion-will the missile have a warhead?)
to be boosted into a significantly higher orbit. All the resulting
little bits will for the most part have a higher surface area to mass
ratio than the intact USA 193. The orbits of the pieces should decay at
least as fast as the whole thing. Also, if they blast it near perigee
even the boosted pieces will be dipping just as far into the atmosphere
as the satellite was, so they should come down pretty soon as well.
It just doesn't sound like all that bad of an idea to me (especially for
the current crew running the show).

Shawn
  #8  
Old February 15th 08, 12:55 AM posted to sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe,sci.astro.amateur
Shawn[_7_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 25
Default Military will try to shoot down spy satellite

Shawn wrote:
Sam Wormley wrote:
JS wrote:
Latest news is that the U.S. will try to shoot down the errant
satellite believed to be in the KH-11 class. The pretext is that the
spy satellite contains "hydrazine propellant" that could be hazardous
to humans, but I wonder? I'm sure the military wouldn't want anyone
getting their hands on any debris falling over land...

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/0...ite/index.html





Space Weather News for Feb. 14, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

Malfunctioning spy satellite USA 193 has been in the news lately
because of expectations that it will reenter Earth's atmosphere in
March and turn into a spectacular fireball. Reentry has not yet
begun, but sky watchers are already noticing the satellite as it zips
over Europe and the United States shining as brightly as a first or
second magnitude star. Typical photos are shown on today's edition of
http://spaceweather.com.

In fact, USA 193 may never reenter--at least not in one piece. Today,
the Pentagon announced it will attempt to blast the satellite with a
missile before its orbit decays. This would lessen the chances of
dangerous satellite debris and fuel reaching the ground while
increasing the population of space junk in low-Earth orbit.


I doubt if many of the pieces of the satellite will attain sufficient
energy from the impact (or explosion-will the missile have a warhead?)
to be boosted into a significantly higher orbit. All the resulting
little bits will for the most part have a higher surface area to mass
ratio than the intact USA 193. The orbits of the pieces should decay at
least as fast as the whole thing. Also, if they blast it near perigee
even the boosted pieces will be dipping just as far into the atmosphere
as the satellite was, so they should come down pretty soon as well.
It just doesn't sound like all that bad of an idea to me (especially for
the current crew running the show).

Shawn


Sorry for replying to my own post, but I just realized perigee is likely
to be over some part of the world where they really hate us, so maybe
not such a great idea blasting things over the Middle East, Russia or
China after all. Hrmm.


Shawn
 




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