Satellite collision

[Analoguesat]

Well its finally happened - one of the Iridium phone satellites in low earth orbit has been wiped out after smashing into a defunct Russkie bird:

_http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7885051.stm

 

[dig deep]

Just waited for it to happen

 

[Topper]

It was only a mater of time really, I wonder where the debris is heading for, if it is dark it could be quite a spectacular sight when burning up upon re-entry.

 

[2cvbloke]

Is this the beginning of the end of communication satellites as we know it?

Just think, no more sky, assuming the debris managed to get up that far...

 

[colinp]

The collision happened 491miles above northern Siberia and has produced some 600 items of debris,which NORAD are tracking.It's unknown wether it wil affect the ISS or any other birds as of yet.

 

[kerrywez]

The Yanks will not be best pleased, it is bound to be in the back of their minds if it is not burnt up be re-entry, that it might hit their only shuttle. I suppose that there is always the chance that this would happen sonner or later. I should think that they will have it well monitored.

Regards Wez

 

[Channel Hopper]

The jury is still out on whether the next Hubble repair can go ahead.

_http://blogs.discovery.com/news_space/2009/02/debris-field-danger-could-nix-hubble-fix.html

 

[Channel Hopper]

A debris tracking Google Earth plug-in.

_http://www.barnabu.co.uk/satellite-collision-debris-tracking-in-the-google-earth-plug-in/

 

[Analoguesat]

Ive been polaying with the new Google Earth 5 beta - theres some nice extra stuff in there. Although the picture resolution in southern Scotland still sucks......