TO DESTROY A SPACE STATION!

[cyclonebuster]

China did almost the same thing a few weeks ago!!<br /><br /><br />ROCKET EXPLOSION: Australian astronomer Ray Palmer was photographing the Southern Cross from his observatory in Western Australia on Feb. 19th when a flaming plume cut across the Milky Way. "I had no idea what it was," he says. "It was moving very slowly and I was able to track it for 35 minutes." <br /><br /><br />Photo details: Nikon FM2, 50mm lens, Kodak Elite Chrome 200, 30 minutes. <br /><br />In mid-apparition the object exploded. Gordon Garradd of New South Wales photographed an expanding cloud filled with specks of debris. Tim Thorpe of South Australia saw it, too. "Quite a surreal scene," he says. <br /><br />What was it? It was a mystery for almost 24 hours until satellite expert Daniel Deak matched the trajectory of the plume in Palmer's photo with the orbit of a derelict rocket booster--"a Briz-M, catalog number 28944." <br /><br />One year ago, the Briz-M sat atop a Russian Proton rocket that left Earth on Feb. 28, 2006, carrying an Arabsat-4A communications satellite. Shortly after launch, the rocket malfunctioned, leaving the satellite in the wrong orbit and the Briz-M looping around Earth partially-filled with fuel. On Feb. 19, 2007, for reasons unknown, the fuel tanks ruptured over Australia. <br /><br />Jon P. Boers of the USAF Space Surveillance System confirms the ID and notes "later, on the other side of the world, our radar saw 500+ pieces in that orbit." Today the count is up to 1111 fragments. "[We're seeing] more fragments as the cloud expands," he explains. <br /><br />Some of the fragments are visible in this movie made by Rob McNaught at the Siding Spring Observatory, NSW, Australia: <br /><br /><br />Photo details: Canon 5D, 50mm lens, f/1.4, 20 x 20sec exposures. <br /><br />"Spica is at the right edge of the animation and the fragments are moving to the north and east," he says. <br /><br />One thousand-plus fragments makes this "a major breakup event," says Mark Matney of NASA's Orbital Debr

 

[dreada5]

http://www.spaceweather.com/swpod2007/21feb07/mcnaught1.gif<br /><br />http://www.spaceweather.com/swpod2007/21feb07/palmer2.jpg

 

[cyclonebuster]

So what does the USA do about it? Go to war if the station gets destroyed???

 

[tomnackid]

Go to war with who??? What the heck are you talking about?

 

[MeteorWayne]

Well, since this was an accidental explosion of a rocket, it doesn't seem like a good cause to go to war, IMHO. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[cyclonebuster]

How do you know it wasn't a time delay explosion?

 

[MeteorWayne]

Of course I don't know that, but what would be the benefit to Russia to pollute the LEO environment with killer particles?<br /><br />They have as many satellites, and as many astronauts there as we do. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[cyclonebuster]

How do we know it wasn't China again?

 

[MeteorWayne]

Sigh....<br /><br />From the first post:<br /><br />"What was it? It was a mystery for almost 24 hours until satellite expert Daniel Deak matched the trajectory of the plume in Palmer's photo with the orbit of a derelict rocket booster--"a Briz-M, catalog number 28944." <br /><br />One year ago, the Briz-M sat atop a Russian Proton rocket that left Earth on Feb. 28, 2006, carrying an Arabsat-4A communications satellite. Shortly after launch, the rocket malfunctioned, leaving the satellite in the wrong orbit and the Briz-M looping around Earth partially-filled with fuel. On Feb. 19, 2007, for reasons unknown, the fuel tanks ruptured over Australia. <br /><br />Jon P. Boers of the USAF Space Surveillance System confirms the ID"<br /><br />Try reading the thread <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[cyclonebuster]

Space.com now reporting it! <br /><br />Surely you don't believe everything you read???<br /><br />http://www.space.com/news/070221_rocket_explodes.html

 

[tomnackid]

I still don't understand what the heck your point is! Are you saying China blew up a stranded Russian second stage booster from a failed launch? Why would the US go to war over that? Seems like that's between Russia and China (in the the highly unlikely event that was the case in the first place!). <br /><br />Or are you saying Russia intentionally blew up its booster to destroy a space station they are part owners of?<br /><br />Or are you saying that China blew up another anti satellite device that just happened to match the orbit of the failed Russion booster in order to destry the space station-even though the debris will not come anywhere near the ISS or any other planned missions? You make no sense whatsoever. Stop clogging up the forums with this nonsense.

 

[galactichalo]

Oh great ! Space dot com boards have finally been hijacked by conspiracy freaks

 

[cyclonebuster]

Who knows what happened???? <br /><br />"It had hypergolic fuels aboard, which tend to be kind of corrosive," Matney told SPACE.com. "That may be it. It's always a possibility that it was a micrometeor or debris hit, but most probably it was just a spontaneous failure." <br /><br />Perhaps, debris from the first sattelite that China destroyed hit it and caused the explosion??? Whats next the space station??<br /><br />

 

[j05h]

<i>> Perhaps, debris from the first sattelite that China destroyed hit it and caused the explosion??? Whats next the space station?? </i><br /><br />Dude, spent Russian rocket stages rupture often. The pictures of the BrizM are very cool. Missile-warning satellites would have caught another ASAT test. If China (or anyone) delibrately threatened or attacked ISS, there would be hell to pay. Can you imagine the public response in the US and Russia? It's simply not going to happen by anyone sane, the Communist party most definitely is sane (even if you or I would disagree with them). Now, Kim Jong Il on a Hennesey bender? Maybe. <br /><br />Back in reality, no one is threatening our space assets currently (except the Chinese ASAT). In fact, India and China have publicly said they want weapons-free space, so the ASAT may have been an example only. <br /><br />I hope the world's leaders are clear headed in these days. <br /><br />Josh <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[tomnackid]

If you bothered to read any of the threads you cited you would have known that the Chinese anti-satellite experiment was in a much lower and altogether different orbit than the booster explosion!

 

[cyclonebuster]

So what about after the explosion did all the pieces stay in low orbit? Yes or No?

 

[MeteorWayne]

Conspiracy freaks have always been here.<br /><br />They're everywhere <img src="/images/icons/rolleyes.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

So what??<br /><br />Did you read the article you linked to?<br /><br /><font color="yellow">""It had hypergolic fuels aboard, which tend to be kind of corrosive," Matney told SPACE.com. "That may be it. It's always a possibility that it was a micrometeor or debris hit, but most probably it was just a spontaneous failure." </font><br /><br />No I don't believe everything I read.<br /><br />Do you?<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Which explosion? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[cyclonebuster]

The first one China made?

 

[MeteorWayne]

Since that has nothing to do with this one, I wasn't sure.<br /><br />AFAIK, most of the pieces from the Chinese ASAT test are still inorbit, and will be for a long time.<br /><br />None were in orbits anywhere near the Russian rocket, which had malfunctioned on launch, hence was in a lousy, unique orbit.<br /><br />You can make a case that the Chinese were either very stupid, or trying to threaten the rest of the spacefaring community, but you can't make that case for the Russians. We're the only two countries that launch people to orbit. They probably have nearly as many spysats up there as we do.What reason would they have to endanger their own lives and equipment.<br />There's no payoff. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[cyclonebuster]

No threat! <br /><br /><br />http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/NASA_Says_Destroyed_Chinese_Satellite_Is_No_Threat_To_Space_Station_999.html<br /><br />To Threat? Lets move space station! <br /><br />http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1778534/posts

 

[MeteorWayne]

In my opinion, you are destroying any SDC credibility you had with this ranting thread.<br />But that's just my opinion <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[cyclonebuster]

A scientific article here in the states!<br /><br />http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.php?feed=Science&article=UPI-1-20070202-13575600-bc-russia-iss.xml

 

[cyclonebuster]

Which statement do you believe in that article?<br /><br />This one?<br /><br />"Space station moves to avoid debris<br />MOSCOW, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- U.S. and Russian officials changed the International Space Station's orbit to keep it clear of debris from a satellite destroyed by China, a report says."<br /><br />Or this one?<br /><br />"The spokesman said the debris did not threaten the space station, and that an anti-meteorite system protected it from smaller fragments."<br /><br />I guess no one gets confused after reading such accurate concise statements as this??????<br /><br />