Satellite out of control

[Xenocrates]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22857051

WASHINGTON - A large U.S. spy satellite has lost power and could hit the Earth in late February or March, government officials said Saturday.

The satellite, which no longer can be controlled, could contain hazardous materials, and it is unknown where on the planet it might come down, they said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the information is classified as secret.

Jeffrey Richelson, a senior fellow with the National Security Archive, said the spacecraft likely is a photo reconnaissance satellite. Such eyes in the sky are used to gather visual information from space about adversarial governments and terror groups, including construction at suspected nuclear sites or militant training camps.

And on Xinhua, with less detail (as usual):

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/27/content_7500851.htm

This could be very significant. Does anyone know how many of these there are and if there's back up?

There's a US factsheet on Beryllium here, it sounds nasty:

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts4.html

But I wonder if that's the only toxin on board. And if there's any reason why the space shuttle can't be used to repair it.

 

[Winner]

I hope it hits the Pentagon

 

[MrCynical]

It'll hardly be the first time that a man made object reentered the atmophere out of control. Skylab was far larger than this satellite, and broke up across Western Austrailia (without damaging anything). A number of other satellites, and also the Columbia have broken up on reentry without causing damage on the ground. Unless we are incredibly unlucky it shouldn't do any direct damage.

As to toxins, beryllium is not the most pleasant of the elements, but the mass cannot be that large, and what there is will be very widely dispersed. Presumably this satellite is solar powered rather than using an RTG (or they'd have mentioned it by now), so there shouldn't be a radiation hazard.

This could be very significant. Does anyone know how many of these there are and if there's back up?

Back up satellites are a minor issue anyway at this stage - there probably is redundancy in the system to allow for satellite failure but this wasn't performing any vital function anyway from the point of view of those outside the US military.

But I wonder if that's the only toxin on board. And if there's any reason why the space shuttle can't be used to repair it.

I'd expect there to be a few more substances classed as toxic aboard it, but again not in large quantity.

As to the space shuttle, it does take a fair amount of time to get one ready for launch. Atlantis is still sitting on the launch pad thanks to a fault that stopped it launching last month and is due to launch in early February, but is busy working on the ISS. I've no idea of the practicalities of catching an out of control satellite (particularly one that is presumably now in a very low and unpredictable orbit) anyway.

 

[TheLastOne36]

Meh, as long as it doesn't hit anywhere in europe i'm fine.

 

[History_Buff]

I've no idea of the practicalities of catching an out of control satellite (particularly one that is presumably now in a very low and unpredictable orbit) anyway.

The orbits are hardly unpredictable, even when they start to decay. We know the locations of the NAVSTAR constellation down a centimeter or less, and if this is a photogrammetric spy sat, they might know it's location even better.


But this is no big deal. There's no way this thing is heat shielded, so it'll damn near dissolve in the atmosphere, and any nasty stuff inside will be spread over a large enough area to ignore.

 

[Symphony D.]

Quick, lets petition the Chinese to shoot it down!

 

[EconomistBR]

I hope it lands in my backyard!!! I want that souvenir!

PS: I am imune to Beryllium.

 

[eddfire3]

Well hopefully it doesn't awake a giant sea creature that will then lay waste to the city of New York while young adults film it..

 

[Verge]

Fortunately, when it "hits Earth," it'll be hitting the Earth's atmosphere, disintegrating on entry like other man-made objects have done, like MrCynical noted.

As for toxic substances like hydrazine and beryllium, what doesn't get burnt up will almost certainly get scattered appreciably in the descent. And if a chunk of pure-beryllium from a rocket nozzle or something does indeed survive reentry, the chances of it crashing on a populated area is very remote.


Fortunately, the US won't be shooting it down; scattering debris throughout an orbital region is a lot less desirable than just letting a satellite break up in the atmosphere.

 

[MrCynical]

The orbits are hardly unpredictable, even when they start to decay. We know the locations of the NAVSTAR constellation down a centimeter or less, and if this is a photogrammetric spy sat, they might know it's location even better.

If it was that predictable we'd already know exactly where it's going to hit. They might be able to figure out where this one will be tomorrow, but where it will be by the time a shuttle is prepped and launched? Doesn't look like they can do that.

 

[EconomistBR]

If it was that predictable we'd already know exactly where it's going to hit. They might be able to figure out where this one will be tomorrow, but where it will be by the time a shuttle is prepped and launched? Doesn't look like they can do that.

I am sorry but you are mistaken, the orbits are indeed very predictable.

The problem is the reentry, during reentry the satellite bounces of Earth's atmosphere like a stone in the surface of a lake, making the landing area unpredictable.

 

[Elrohir]

Quick, lets petition the Chinese to shoot it down!

We'd do a better job than the Chinese. Plus, it's our baby - if it can be shot down, then we should do it.

 

[Symphony D.]

True, but given how much space debris it causes, it's much better to get someone else to do it so you can pin the blame on them.

 

[Leonel]

I would hate for that to fall on my car.

 

[Harbringer]

I would hate for that to fall on my car.

Indeed I would be pissed.

 

[EconomistBR]

We'd do a better job than the Chinese. Plus, it's our baby - if it can be shot down, then we should do it.

I rather have the Chinese do it, since the Iraq War I don't trust the US military as I used to.

 

[countrygrl]

I hope it hits the Pentagon

i hope it hits brno, and not one of the roma slums you surely despise.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

It will burn up.

 

[RulerOfDaPeople]

I always wondered what would happen if one of them breaks down or how they didn't fall out of the sky. Guess now we're about to find out. This will be a learning experience in the coarse of history...

I just hope it doesn't land on any populated places. Maybe the Ocean off the coast of California/Florida or something. Then we can recover it without losing anything or anybody.

 

[Verge]

I always wondered what would happen if one of them breaks down or how they didn't fall out of the sky. Guess now we're about to find out. This will be a learning experience in the coarse of history...

I just hope it doesn't land on any populated places. Maybe the Ocean off the coast of California/Florida or something. Then we can recover it without losing anything or anybody.

This isn't anything new. They break and burn up during reentry through the Earth's atmosphere, scattering what debris is left over a very wide area.