Largest piece of space junk to fall to earth tomorrow!

Discussion in 'Astronomy, Exobiology, & Cosmology' started by Coconut, Nov 3, 2008.

  1. Coconut Registered Member

    Messages:
    2
    At universetoday.com

    Cool!
     
  2. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  3. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    33,264
    I can't wait to see the ISS come down one day and see where it lands! Two refrigerators will just burn up entering the atmosphere rather quickly so not much will be seen anywhere .
     
  4. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  5. Coconut Registered Member

    Messages:
    2
    Wasn't the Russian space station Mir effectively the largest piece of space crap to enter our atmosphere?
     
  6. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  7. OilIsMastery Banned Banned

    Messages:
    3,288
  8. orcot Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    3,488
    Wouldn't it be cool when it's finally time for the ISS to be decomissioned They place a 50 megaton nuke in it and blow it up
     
  9. Enmos Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    43,184
  10. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    33,264
    50 megatons!

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

    Isn't that a little overkill? Then you'd have little pieces of shit everywhere orbiting around the Earth hitting satellites and other things in orbit as well.
     
  11. orcot Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    3,488
    ... That's the point
     
  12. Letticia Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    300
    Literally
     
  13. Letticia Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    300
    Yes. The article you quoted said "largest piece of space junk ever dropped from the orbital outpost". Not quite same thing.
     
  14. Enmos Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    43,184
    Where is it.. ?
     
  15. D H Some other guy Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,257
    They simply let it go -- over 15 months ago. The ISS orbits at ~350 km altitude, well within the upper reaches of the atmosphere. Without any thrusters, the EAS' orbit gradually decayed due to atmospheric drag. The ISS would suffer the exact same fate were it not for the periodic jet firings that raise it to a higher altitude.

    In the Pacific Ocean between Australia and New Zealand.
    http://www.space.com/news/081103-space-station-debris-burnup.html
    A piece of space trash the size of a refrigerator plunged into the Earth's atmosphere late Sunday to burn up over the southern Pacific Ocean, more than a year after an astronaut tossed it off the International Space Station, NASA officials said today.

    Space station program manager Mike Suffredini told reporters the orbital trash, a 1,400-pound (635-kg) tank of toxic ammonia coolant, slammed into the Earth's atmosphere at an altitude of about 50 miles (80 km) as it flew above the ocean just south of Tasmania.

    "What debris may have been still together after re-entry, it fell into the ocean between Australia and New Zealand," Suffredini said during a NASA briefing. "I know a lot of folks were wondering what the end result of that was."

    NASA expected up to 15 pieces of the tank to survive the fiery plunge, ranging in size from about 1.4 ounces (40 grams) to nearly 40 pounds (17.5 kg). The largest pieces, if they survived, may have hit the ocean at speeds of up to 100 mph (164 kph).​
     
  16. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    25,817
    It was only as big as a fridge? That's it? Trees bigger than that fall on houses and cars.
     
  17. Enmos Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    43,184
    I know that, tell OIM.. lol


    Thanks

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  18. Reiku Banned Banned

    Messages:
    11,238
    How odd -- i just asked about this the other day.
     
  19. D H Some other guy Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,257
    Trees don't hit houses at 23 times the speed of sound, however.
     
  20. Betrayer0fHope MY COHERENCE! IT'S GOING AWAYY Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,311
    Ah, astute observation, D H.
     

Share This Page