NASA Satellite Falls Back To Earth; Landfall in Canada 62
CNET, among many other sources, reports that the declining orbit of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite has declined all the way; the satellite reentered and broke up in Earth's atmosphere last night, though the exact time, and thus location, of the reentry was unknown at the time. CNET quotes NASA's release, which says the satellite "fell back to Earth between 11:23 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 23, and 1:09 a.m. EDT Sept. 24." The Christian Science Monitor has a newer story, which reports that at least some debris from the satellite hit land in Okotoks, Canada, with no injuries. NASA's Science Office page on the satellite (not yet updated to account for the deorbit) says the satellite was launched in 1991, with a planned operational life of three years.
Kerbal Space Program (Score:0)
The age of personal empowerment. (Score:-1)
Cellphones, rockets, chemicals... we live in the age of personal empowerment. There is great danger coming from mentally handicapped individuals, as probably is the case of that Norwegian moron -- so we must limit access to some technologies.
But I suspect this is somewhat ineffective, just like security by obscurity. Does someone have any idea on how to prevent such things? (for starters, police action, usually done after-the-fact, is not going to help).
Re:The age of personal empowerment. (Score:0, Offtopic)
Cellphones, rockets, chemicals... we live in the age of personal empowerment. There is great danger coming from mentally handicapped individuals, as probably is the case of that Norwegian moron -- so we must limit access to some technologies.
But I suspect this is somewhat ineffective, just like security by obscurity. Does someone have any idea on how to prevent such things?
Being able to shoot back? In Texas we had one big case of a gun toting moron. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luby's_massacre [wikipedia.org] We have not had one since, because the criminal is not the only one armed. I am ignoring Fort Hood, as that was federal land, and follows federal gun laws, so no one on the military base was armed. True irony. (The moron even had to buy the gun he used at a private gun store... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Hood_shooting [wikipedia.org] ) The Norway story would have been better like this one. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Colorado_YWAM_and_New_Life_shootings#New_Life_Church_shooting [wikipedia.org]
Now I will get Offtopic, which does apply, and Troll, which mean "I disagree." Who will win?
Re:The age of personal empowerment. (Score:0)
I'm the AC who posted above. I of course hold a version different than that of yours, but I must admit freedom to carry arms is better than nobody having weapons.
But let's have a meta discussion here: why have I got -1? It's somewhat confusing to me.
I even consider your post ontopic and not trolllish at all. So you getting "offtopic" bothers me, too.
Now, the trouble is deeper -- not only moderation is flawed, but you seem to be capable of foreseeing it is flawed and how bad it'll go; to me this signs how low we have reached. It's one things when things don't work; it's another can of worms when people learned to live with that.
BTW, this comment is ontopic, too. You moderators shove your votes where the sun doesn't shine, mmkay?
Re:The age of personal empowerment. (Score:2)
Re:The age of personal empowerment. (Score:2)
Re:Kerbal Space Program (Score:1)
For the first time in /. history, a slashvertisement is actually topical, relevant and points to something actually cool.
Celebrate this moment, it won't come again soon.
Re:Kerbal Space Program (Score:2)
Poor Canada, they seem to keep getting hit (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Poor Canada, they seem to keep getting hit (Score:2)
Re:Poor Canada, they seem to keep getting hit (Score:0)
Re:Poor Canada, they seem to keep getting hit (Score:3)
Actually, it was paid. By the listeners of a radio show [esperanceexpress.com.au] that donated the 400 bucks to help the struggling NASA.
I can see why NASA didn't pay, avoiding to create a precedent for possibly higher claims, but it looks really badly if a reputable organization has to rely on donations to pay its litter bills...
Re:Poor Canada, they seem to keep getting hit (Score:2)
I can see why NASA didn't pay, avoiding to create a precedent for possibly higher claims, but it looks really badly if a reputable organization has to rely on donations to pay its litter bills...
Yes indeed, littering can be a problem [arlo.net].
Re:Poor Canada, they seem to keep getting hit (Score:0)
Of course we keep getting hit! We're America's hat.
send in mulder and scully to check it out! (Score:1)
send in mulder and scully to check it out!
Re:Poor Canada, they seem to keep getting hit (Score:0)
Well there's a mathematical reason for it. UARS had an orbital inclination of 57 degrees, so it could hit anywhere between 57N and 57S, with large latitudes being much more likely than low latitudes due to the shape of the sine function.
Re:Poor Canada, they seem to keep getting hit (Score:2)
Ok... it's probably ~2% of the total area of the Earth (or ~6.5% if we exclude ocean). (If my math are correct)
Okotoks Video A Hoax (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Okotoks Video A Hoax (Score:0)
The posting about Okotoks was up before the satellite was actually spotted over Texas, so yes, this does seem to be bogus. The official report is that it deorbited in the Pacific. It was on the orbit that just missed New Zealand and the periapsis was just beyond that, so the Pacific makes more sense.
Re:Okotoks Video A Hoax (Score:2)
I live in Okotoks and can confirm that it is still here.
I am sad that this is likely a hoax. For a moment I thought I was actually close to such an event!
Re:Okotoks Video A Hoax (Score:2)
Re:Poor Canada, they seem to keep getting hit (Score:0)
Dammit, I wanted a piece of that satellite.
I live right outside of Vancouver. I went outside as UARS had a pass just south of here around 9:20pm last night, I was hoping to see it re-enter because it was in the time block NASA said it was coming down. I didn't see UARS, it must have been in Earth's shadow and then it starts burning up a few minutes later.
Whiplash, I tell ya! (Score:2)
Space Liability Convention, which has provisions for fallen satellites, so if there's any actual damage from this, the US will need to pay Canada.
Great, so now we'll have a bunch of Canucks wearing neck braces walking with limps lining up in court hoping for a windfall?
Re:Whiplash, I tell ya! (Score:0)
Canadians don't sue. They will apologise for being in the way.
Re:Poor Canada, they seem to keep getting hit (Score:0)
Last night this Video was linked to this IT-wire story.
http://www.itwire.com/science-news/space/49989-uars-is-down-in-south-western-canada
Here is the video, but typical I-Phone wide angle lens FAIL. :-( it only had 307 views last night.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OfWgu5jk5g
As they say in Canada Cheers-----bob
Re:Poor Canada, they seem to keep getting hit (Score:2)
You forgot to list that Russian dude crash landing there a few months ago.
IIRC there was a documentary about it.
Re:the US will need to pay Canada. (Score:0)
Does that apply to Okotoksians claiming psychological damage after discovering the real cause of the earth moving on Friday night?
I guess Calgary dodged a bullet!!! (Score:1)
I know it's hard to calculate, but come on... (Score:0)
I'm quite unimpressed by NASAs inability to get out an accurate prediction of the target area. It's along "just" a 500 km path but the fact that they couldn't say where it was going to hit should have made them work even harder on the problem and, more importantly, public relations!! I.e. have a website that displays the situation in near-realtime, not just a post once a day saying "we don't know and we don't care; but we'll let you know when it happened"
I just hope there's not too much more junk like that up there. Or at least that they'll be better prepared next time.
Please, dear NASA, give us the info you have next time instead of invoking security through oblivion, it may not seem a big deal to you - statistically the earth is big - but I'd rather check the info several times a day while taking a nice long walk than sitting in the basement and hope that it'll be over before my rations run out (metaphorically speaking; I don't even have a basement :-o).
CAPTCHA: breakage
Re:I know it's hard to calculate, but come on... (Score:4, Informative)
Maybe you should pass your real time updated upper atmosphere model on to them. The time from when the satellite hit the upper atmosphere to when it hits the ground is measured in minutes not many 10's of minutes or hours. With it tumbling and no longer transmitting there's no way to accurately state it's altitude even if you did have a real time upper atmosphere model. There's simply no way to inform people in real time because there's no way to know in real time. Even if you constantly updated it by the time the info was passed on that entry had occurred it would already be on the ground (or darn soon afterward).
Re:I know it's hard to calculate, but come on... (Score:2)
Are you suggesting that the GP doesn't actually have a working prediction model of the Sun's activity and its interaction with Earth's atmosphere? Why, that would mean he's just talking out his uars.
Re:I know it's hard to calculate, but come on... (Score:0)
Re:I know it's hard to calculate, but come on... (Score:0)
I daresay that a single engineer driving to work for a year has far more than a 1:3200 chance of striking someone with a multi-ton chunk of metal.
A 1:3200 chance of *any* injury, for a major engineering project, is a vanishingly small chance by the standards of real-life. I have a hard time imagining any large non-space engineering project that would be anywhere this safe.
Re:I know it's hard to calculate, but come on... (Score:0)
> I'm quite unimpressed by NASAs inability to get out an accurate prediction of the target area
I was least impressed by NASA's constant reassurances that North America was not at risk, completely ignoring the danger that THEIR satellite posed to THE REST of humanity.
For example:
The satellite will not be passing over North America during that time period.
Well that's a bloody relief to the other 5.75 billion of us.
Re:I know it's hard to calculate, but come on... (Score:2)
Not Canada... ocean west of Australia? (Score:3)
ABC and Fox News are now reporting that, although it may have started breaking up over Calgary, it seems that it went down in the ocean west of Australia. Guess we're gonna have to wait and see...
Re:Not Canada... ocean west of Australia? (Score:1)
Re:Not Canada... ocean west of Australia? (Score:2)
Canada? Australia?
Given the involvement of ex-British colonies, I'd say this is all an MI-6 covert operation.
Re:Not Canada... ocean west of Australia? (Score:2)
I shot a rocket into the air (Score:2)
I shot a rocket into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where
Until next day, with rage profound,
The man it fell on came around.
In less time than it takes to tell,
He showed me where that rocket fell;
And now I do not greatly care
To shoot more rockets in the air.
(Tom Masson, 1866-1943)
Re:I shot a rocket into the air (Score:2)
We shot a rocket in the air
We fear it fell to earth somewhere
Though we were aiming for the moon
Red China claims we hit Kowloon
Re:I shot a rocket into the air (Score:2)
"Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down?
That's not my department," says Wernher von Braun.
Vulcan (Score:2)
Re:Vulcan (Score:2)
Maybe this is a *CRAZY* conspiracy theory but I think NASA was trying to take out the Enterprise in nearby Vulcan.
Maybe this is a *CRAZY* conspiracy theory?
No, NASA doesn't need to help with that. The town of Vulcan's mayor's trying to kill every connection between the town and ST. Killjoy.
Don't worry (Score:0)
Pioneer One (Score:0)
When I read the summary, I couldn't help thinking of the Pioneer One series.
They're a free download - http://vo.do/mWuQ
Video of Re-entry (Score:2)
is here [youtube.com]. Not the best camera in the world (I think he said iPhone) but it clearly captures the break-up and large pieces burning.
As of now, YouTube is significantly ahead of NASA and Air Force intelligence (it has a much larger workforce).
Re:Video of Re-entry (Score:2)
Clearly captures
I don't think those words mean what you think they mean.
If I look at it in full screen I see something that could be a satellite disintegration but could also be a plane running into some clouds or some confused fireflies.
Re:Video of Re-entry (Score:0)
Mod this guy down for linking to a hoax and pretending it is real. YouTube is ahead in disinformation.
Re:Video of Re-entry (Score:0)
"Significantly ahead"? Think again. The CBC is reporting that the Okotoks police have confirmed the crash as a hoax.
Re:Video of Re-entry (Score:2)
is here [youtube.com]. Not the best camera in the world (I think he said iPhone) but it clearly captures the break-up and large pieces burning.
As of now, YouTube is significantly ahead of NASA and Air Force intelligence (it has a much larger workforce).
And much less reliable workforce. First to news does not mean it's right, which is why we still need a professional news media, not a bunch of yahoos with cameras.
If a satellite falls... (Score:2)
...in a forest in Canada, does anybody notice?
Re:If a satellite falls... (Score:2)
Real life imitates art? (Score:2)
Anyone familiar with the Pioneer One indie series? If the RCMP happens to find a cosmonaut inside what's left of that satellite, it's time to be worried!
Weird (Score:2)
I been watching the decent on a app on my phone, currently it shows it a altitude of 135 km. I was watching it since Friday when it was at 180 km. Was going to try and watch if when it hits 100 to 120 and see how fast it decelerated. Guess its not a real time app. (Satellite Tracker 1.5) I tried to see it last night when it was passing within view between 8:17 and 8:24 pm. But alas was not able to see it.
Doesn't seem to be Okitoks (Score:0)
I was watching the local news. Okitoks RCMP have been flooded with calls, but there are *no* reports of any debris falling there. There was a spoof video on YouTube saying it landed there, but that video was later pulled. NASA never noticed it land there, NORAD never noticed it land there, airport radar, weather radar and local astronomers never saw it land there. I think it landed off the coast of Australia. If its any consolation, I saw a re-run of Gilligans Island where a radioactive meteor lands on the island, and the Skipper and Professor build a lightning rod and attach it to the meteor so that lightning can hit it and blow the radioactivity to a million pieces. Closest I saw of anything landing near Okitoks (at least on a TV near Okitoks).
Nope (Score:0)
Reports of satellite debris hitting Alberta likely a hoax:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2011/09/24/cgy-okotoks-stellite-debris.html
When Barak Broke Machaele's Heart (Score:-1)
On a very recent evening audio and video computer equipment operated by the National Intelligence Agency under authorization with the consent of the Federal Bureay of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service recorded an exchange between Barak [PUSA] and Machaele Obama.
Here is the unformatted text:
youfuckingbitch/whatinhelldidyouthink/whatinthehellwereyouthinking/youmeasurableslut/don'tyouknowthaticankillyouandeatyourfleshwhithanybodynotevenjoebiedonfindingout/youwhore/youfuckedupwhore/iffoxnewsfindoutthati'mgayandthenationationmuslemcouncilandthenationalcouncilofchurchesfindoutthati'mgaythatwillbetheendofit/youdispicableshiteatingwhore/
We at the FBI think that Pres. Mr. Obama was, shall we say, abit "on edge" that evening ... perhaps abit too much after dinner coffee ... we presume.
The earth is flat and ends just on border of US (Score:1)
We can track ICBMs but not a crashing satellite? (Score:1)
What is? (Score:1)
neil young (Score:0)
is not amused