UARS Satellite (6.5 tons) Uncontrolled Re-entry (Sept 23-25)

[synsei]

Keep your Brolly's handy, a 6.5 ton satellite called UARS (Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite) is expected to crash to Earth between the 23rd and 25th of September and the UK could be in the firing line. Because the orbit of UARS is inclined 57 degrees to the equator, it could impact anywhere within a belt which stretches between 57 deg North and 57 deg South of the equator. Up to 40% of this satellite, which is the size of a large bus, is expected to survive re-entry and smash into the Earth along a footprint some 500 miles long and over a mile wide. Smaller debris from the breakup will fall at the 'heel' of the debris field while larger sections, and the most dangerous, will fall 500 miles further on at the 'toe'.

In all likelyhood UARS will fall harmlessly into the sea, but there is a significant chance that it will make landfall and to illustrate this, UARS will pass directly over my home town of Corby at 18:31 this evening. :eyebrows:

To keep tabs on UARS over the coming days follow this official NASA link: UARS (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/uars/index.html). To check out the 5 day predicted track of the satellite go to Heavens Above (http://www.heavens-above.com/).

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[synsei]

The BBC's perspective: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14952001

[Reid Malenfant]

Hmmm, a couple of tons or so (40% approx) coming in at near on 17,500 mph will make a fair sized crater if it hits land :eek:

I won't be losing sleep over it though ;)

[Ali Tait]

Make a fair splash too!

[synsei]

In all likelyhood UARS will fall harmlessly into the sea, but there is a significant chance that it will make landfall and to illustrate this, UARS will pass directly over my home town of Corby at 18:31 this evening. :eyebrows:

Well, I'm still here :lolsign:

[MartinT]

Shame the YouTube creator doesn't know the difference between its and it's. Oh and the billions of people living along the path scaremongering is a little pointless.

I'd love to see it come down, but it's a little sad to witness the death of a satellite, a bit like watching a ship go down.

[synsei]

I'd love to see it come down, but it's a little sad to witness the death of a satellite, a bit like watching a ship go down.

I know what you mean Martin. I witnessed the Skylab re-entry back in 1977 I think it was. It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, the colours were striking, and yet it was also terribly sad to think the last vestiges of Apollo based tech were burning up before my eyes.

[Reid Malenfant]

Looks like it's coming down this evening, no idea where though :scratch:

If you see it coming directly for you duck down, stick your head between your legs & kiss UARS goodbye...


:eyebrows:

On a totally different note it looks like Einstein was wrong with the general theory of relativity ;) Faster than light particles (http://video.uk.msn.com/watch/video/speed-of-light-broken/2gp94hu8) :hijack:

[MartinT]

Yes, and he didn't last longer than Newton :eyebrows:

Still, respect to the patent office clerk.

I think it's great that we now have to create a new theory. We always knew relativity wasn't the whole story, anyway, since it didn't agree with quantum theory.

[Reid Malenfant]

We always knew relativity wasn't the whole story, anyway, since it didn't agree with quantum theory.
True :)

Interesting that in theory time travel into the past is now no longer impossible. We know it can be done travelling into the future, sit near a fat gravity well or travel near to lightspeed :stalks:

[keiths]

True :)

Interesting that in theory time travel into the past is now no longer impossible.

But it must be impossible, otherwise we'd be forever bumping into people from the future who have done it :scratch:

[Barry]

You know what this means? - we'll all be knocking up time machines in our garden sheds, going back in time and buying up all those records and classic vintage items of audio gear, we couldn't afford at the time. :lol:

There was a young student called Bright
Who could travel faster than light
He went out one day
In a relative way
And came back the previous night!

[Reid Malenfant]

You'd think so wouldn't you :scratch: But if i was from the future & i knew a lot of racing results & similar things do you think i'd go shouting about it :mental:

I'd be down the bookies :eyebrows:

[MartinT]

But it must be impossible, otherwise we'd be forever bumping into people from the future who have done it :scratch:

A variation on Fermat's posit: if there were aliens, we'd have seen them by now.

[Reid Malenfant]

msn is often good for a bit of humour, when the posters aren't slagging each other off that is :)


Twinkle twinkle little star

How I wonder what you are.

Cr&p its nasa's satellite

Falling swiftly in the night.

Burning debris from the sky

You'd best kiss U ARS goodbye.

:eyebrows:

[Ali Tait]

:lolsign:

[Ali Tait]

A variation on Fermat's posit: if there were aliens, we'd have seen them by now.

Why?

Or, how?

[MartinT]

Oh, I wasn't agreeing with Fermat! I believe that the distances involved and limitations of sub-light speed travel mean that we are unlikely ever to encounter aliens and similarly they are unlikely to encounter us.

[hifi_dave]

Can I come out now ?

Has it gone ?

[Macca]

Can I come out now ?

Has it gone ?

According to NASA it will most likely land on the yanks:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/uars/index.html

[Ali Tait]

Oh, I wasn't agreeing with Fermat! I believe that the distances involved and limitations of sub-light speed travel mean that we are unlikely ever to encounter aliens and similarly they are unlikely to encounter us.

A reasonable assumption. Perhaps the new CERN discoveries will change that though!

[MartinT]

It came down at about 04:30 this morning, mostly in the Pacific but they're still not sure yet. I ducked as I felt the rush of wind when it went past the roof...

[greenhomeelectronics]

Glad it didn't come down on Bracknell. Something that size could have done anything up to 100 quids worth of damage to the place :)

[MartinT]

I think you're over-valuing there a bit, Dave :lol:

[slate]

I think you're over-valuing there a bit, Dave :lol:

Unless some city wide projects have taken place since the last time I was in Bracknell :eyebrows: