Colliding satellites

[Jacques]

Hi thaught that it might interess somebody here.

 

On today's (Feb 12th) spaceweather

Experts are calling it an "unprecedented event." Two satellites have collided in Earth orbit. Iridium 33 crashed into Kosmos 2251 on Tuesday, Feb. 10th, approximately 800 km over northern Siberia.

[DrDNA]

Interesting.

Iridium 33 was owned by Iridium Satellite LLC, a satellite phone company spun out of Motorola.

It collided with a defunct Russian Space Forces satellite.

 

For those who don't know, the Iridium project - circling the globe with 66 strategically placed communication satellites (the atomic number for Iridium is 66, hence the name) - was intended for worldwide, uninterrupted phone coverage.

It is commonly referred to as one of the greatest technological achievements of the 20th Century.

The first satellite assembly line.

Unfortunately, due in part to phones weighing about 6 lbs, but mostly because of a faster than expected deployment of land-based cell phone infrastructure in Asia, S America, and Eastern Europe, Iridium was obsolete and Iridium LLC was bankrupt before the last satellite was even launched.

Note also that the cell phone infrastructure that helped make Iridium obsolete was planned and built to a large extent by another division of Motorola....the "internal waring tribes" in Motorola generally don't like to talk to each other.....

So, a several billion dollar investment eventually sold for approx 20 million and Iridium can also be considered one the greatest financial debacles of the 20th century.

Just one reason why the once giant Motorola, which was valued by the analysts at (but never quite achieved) over $180 a share at one point in late 90's, is trading for between $3-$4 a share now.

 

Conclusion:

No great loss (at least the satellites).

Except the space junk that may present an issue for other satellites and/or missions and perhaps the military who probably still use the phones for some high level communications.

Edited February 12, 2009 by DrDNA

[Mr Skeptic]

Iridium 33 was owned by Iridium Satellite LLC, a satellite phone company spun out of Motorola.

 

Nice pun

[DrDNA]

 

An artist's impression showing about 4 per cent of the objects orbiting the Earth

 

 

"......there are now more than 300,000 objects whizzing around the globe.

 

Despite huge technological advances in tracking it, only a fraction of near-Earth space junk is monitored officially."

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article5721509.ece

[insane_alien]

yes, 4% but scaled up 4million per cent so you can actually see the buggers on that scale.

[DrDNA]

yes, 4% but scaled up 4million per cent so you can actually see the buggers on that scale.

 

Yes, NOT to scale.

I don't think we have anything the size of New Jersey in near earth orbit.

Except for the Mother Ship.

[insane_alien]

Yes, NOT to scale.

I don't think we have anything the size of New Jersey in near earth orbit.

Except for the Mother Ship.

 

try explaining that to my mother. it was in the paper today and she still doesn't get that most of the things there are only the size of a small car.

[ParanoiA]

Are there any proposed solutions to this debris with any credibility in circulation? I read that any particles larger than a mere centimeter can damage or destroy other satellites. Sounds like we need one hell of a vacuum cleaner.

[npts2020]

I wonder how many collisions like that we can have before whole regions of space are basically unusable for satellites?

[DrDNA]

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Edited February 26, 2009 by DrDNA
Consecutive posts merged.

[Sisyphus]

DrDNA, it seems like you have something to say.

[DrDNA]

DrDNA, it seems like you have something to say.

 

Nope.

I responded to a spam ad for wigs.

The ad was removed, so my statement was obsolete and it seemed rather odd out there all by itself; addressed to something which no longer exists.