A ton of satellite hurtling earthward

[Deleted]

 Sometime in the next 48 hours a 2,425+ -pound satellite is expected to re-enter the atmosphere and plummet to surface impact.
 www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57611551/satellite-will-crash-to-earth-sunday-night-or-monday/

GOCE -- which stands for Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer -- was launched in 2009 to map the Earth's gravitational field. It ran out of fuel last month, ending the mission.

Since then, the satellite has been spiraling steadily downward. Scientists say the 1,100-kilogram (2,425-pound) satellite already has fallen to an altitude of about 105 miles and is coming closer every minute.

Once it reaches an altitude of 50 miles, the satellite will break apart and most of it will burn in the atmosphere.

However, the space agency says about 20 percent of the spacecraft's original mass could survive and reach the ground. That portion, totaling about 200 kilograms (440 pounds) will break up into dozens of small fragments, scattered over a wide area. Scientists have been unable to calculate where or exactly when the debris will hit.

 With every orbit, the satellite gets closer and closer

 you can track the satellite's path here:
 www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/GOCE/Track_GOCE

[mmhmm]

I'd read about that, patience.  I guess some folks will have to trade their tinfoil hats for hardhats, eh?

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

LOL -that's what I was thinking. It's not the first satellite, meteor or space debris to enter the atmosphere and land somewhere - usually in small enough fragments to do little to no harm or damage.

[Jaguar]

So we could have fireworks before Nov 13th then. Where is the reported crash site suppose to be ?

[Deleted]

 Odds are odds. Pieces will make it to the surface of the earth. 

"The sky is falling."

[Jaguar]

Oh nice, not really. Patience are you enjoying this ?

[Angel!]

Doesn't this happen quite often? What makes this satellite newsworthy?

[mmhmm]

Nov 9, 2013 22:17:08 GMT -5 Angel! said:

Doesn't this happen quite often? What makes this satellite newsworthy?

Same reason people like scary movies, I guess. 

[Deleted]

 
 This particular scare is a limited time offer... you'd better get your scare's worth in the next couple of days. after that... pffft.

[marvholly]

According to the news reports I heard Sat:

The largest piece might be 200 lb.
The probability of anything hitting a populated area is VERY remote since Earth is 70% water and there are HUGH expanses of land in Canada, US, Australia, China, Africa, Russia...... that are uninhabited.

That said: there is alway a chance of disaster but WTF can we do about it?

[mmhmm]

Nov 10, 2013 5:32:04 GMT -5 marvholly said:

According to the news reports I heard Sat:

The largest piece might be 200 lb.
The probability of anything hitting a populated area is VERY remote since Earth is 70% water and there are HUGH expanses of land in Canada, US, Australia, China, Africa, Russia...... that are uninhabited.

That said: there is alway a chance of disaster but WTF can we do about it?

I can recall, when this sort of thing has happened in the past, reading the same thing, marvholly.  There's a lot of uninhabited area and water out there, so we aren't to worry too much. Heck, as you say, it won't do any good to worry about it anyway.  Not a thing we can do, really.

[Deleted]

Nov 10, 2013 5:32:04 GMT -5 marvholly said:

According to the news reports I heard Sat:

The largest piece might be 200 lb.
The probability of anything hitting a populated area is VERY remote since Earth is 70% water and there are HUGH expanses of land in Canada, US, Australia, China, Africa, Russia...... that are uninhabited.

That said: there is alway a chance of disaster but WTF can we do about it?

zap it out of the sky with one of those star wars missiles that Reagan created.

[the flying reindeer]

Nov 10, 2013 5:32:04 GMT -5 marvholly said:

According to the news reports I heard Sat:

The largest piece might be 200 lb.
The probability of anything hitting a populated area is VERY remote since Earth is 70% water and there are HUGH expanses of land in Canada, US, Australia, China, Africa, Russia...... that are uninhabited.

That said: there is alway a chance of disaster but WTF can we do about it?

Earth has been hit in the past, remember that meteorite that hit a year ago or so in Siberia? And this isn't the first satellite to come down either. I've got a lot more tangible things to worry about - like a federal government that has become dysfunctional.

[Deleted]

 Well, it's still up there...
 download.esa.int/multimedia/esagadgets/esa_goce_reentry.html

[busymom]

The local news said the satellite should be hitting earth within the hour.  It'd be nice if they could give us a vague idea where...

[Deleted]

Watching the track @

 www.satflare.com/track.asp?q=34602#TOP


 and the altitude is dropping a mile every thirty seconds or so... it was at 110 miles up a few minutes ago. 60 miles to go- about a half-hour from now- before it reaches 50 mile altitude, when it will begin fiery re-entry.

[Jaguar]

I'm watching this too.

[Peace Of Mind]

I'd prefer that hitting me or my house to the frozen blocks of pee and crap planes out while flying over.  Did anybody see Six Feet Under where a woman on her cell phone got killed by one of those.  Grossss!  

[Jaguar]

Nov 10, 2013 19:57:02 GMT -5 Peace Of Mind said:

I'd prefer that hitting me or my house to the frozen blocks of pee and crap planes out while flying over.  Did anybody see Six Feet Under where a woman on her cell phone got killed by one of those.  Grossss!  

POM where the hell do you live ? Has frozen crap or pee hit you in the head ? Has it killed one of your cats or neighbors, like really.

[Peace Of Mind]

Nov 10, 2013 20:24:08 GMT -5 Jaguar said:

Nov 10, 2013 19:57:02 GMT -5 Peace Of Mind said:

I'd prefer that hitting me or my house to the frozen blocks of pee and crap planes out while flying over.  Did anybody see Six Feet Under where a woman on her cell phone got killed by one of those.  Grossss!  

POM where the hell do you live ? Has frozen crap or pee hit you in the head ? Has it killed one of your cats or neighbors, like really.

Planes do fly over us enough that if you don't hear from me ever again that could be why. 

[Jaguar]

Nov 10, 2013 20:26:12 GMT -5 Peace Of Mind said:

Nov 10, 2013 20:24:08 GMT -5 Jaguar said:

POM where the hell do you live ? Has frozen crap or pee hit you in the head ? Has it killed one of your cats or neighbors, like really.

Planes do fly over us enough that if you don't hear from me ever again that could be why. 

Lovely : Here lies POM killed by frozen poo, has a slightly weird vibe to it.

It fits.

[mmhmm]

Reminds me of going over a pass in the Swiss Alps with my mother and father on board.  Mother spots bright turquoise ice (glacier ice) and is fascinated.  "Look!  Look at the beautiful color of that ice!"  My dear departed husband smiles sweetly over his shoulder at her and says:  "That's where an airplane dumped it's toilet.  You know how blue that water is."  Mother's face turned dead white and I came within an inch of battering my husband to pulp!  Later, we all got a laugh out of it. 

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

LOL, mmhmm. That's hilarious. We used to use the "blue water" chemicals for the holding tank in our RV.

[mmhmm]

I've been watching that satellite inch its way along.  It's over west Texas/New Mexico right now, but no worries.  It's gaining altitude.  I guess it's decided to go back into space. 

[mmhmm]

Here's she comes, Canada.  Still rising.  Doesn't want to come down on you, either, I guess. 

[Jaguar]

It's losing altitude now and over Mongolia right now.

[Deleted]

 the site I was using that gave me altitude, etc., has become "unavailable".
 Just when it was REALLY getting interesting.

 pffft.

[Jaguar]

Nov 10, 2013 21:31:51 GMT -5 @patiencetried said:

 the site I was using that gave me altitude, etc., has become "unavailable".
 Just when it was REALLY getting interesting.

 pffft.

Here

www.satflare.com/track.asp?q=34602#TOP

Hope that works for you.

[mmhmm]

It's dropping pretty rapidly in altitude now, patience.  At 114 km presently and headed into open water.

[Jaguar]

I got it less than altitude 80km. Going over the Indian Ocean toward Antarctic Ocean.