UARS Satellite re-entry
Discussion
What catalogue did you load up for that?
UARS - Visible Passes
Search period start: 00:00 Friday, 23 September, 2011
Search period end: 00:00 Monday, 3 October, 2011
Observer's location: Thame, 51.7430°N, 0.9790°W
Local time zone: British Summer Time (UTC + 1:00)
Orbit: 162 x 170 km, 56.9° (Epoch Sep 23)
Type of passes to include: Visible only All
No visible passes found within the search period.
Maybe HA is wrong?
Search period start: 00:00 Friday, 23 September, 2011
Search period end: 00:00 Monday, 3 October, 2011
Observer's location: Thame, 51.7430°N, 0.9790°W
Local time zone: British Summer Time (UTC + 1:00)
Orbit: 162 x 170 km, 56.9° (Epoch Sep 23)
Type of passes to include: Visible only All
No visible passes found within the search period.
Maybe HA is wrong?
Latest ..
As of 10:30 a.m. EDT on Sept. 23, 2011, the orbit of UARS was 100 miles by 105 miles (160 km by 170 km). Re-entry is expected late Friday, Sept. 23, or early Saturday, Sept. 24, Eastern Daylight Time. Solar activity is no longer the major factor in the satellite’s rate of descent. The satellite’s orientation or configuration apparently has changed, and that is now slowing its descent. There is a low probability any debris that survives re-entry will land in the United States, but the possibility cannot be discounted because of this changing rate of descent. It is still too early to predict the time and location of re-entry with any certainty, but predictions will become more refined in the next 12 to 18 hours.
As of 10:30 a.m. EDT on Sept. 23, 2011, the orbit of UARS was 100 miles by 105 miles (160 km by 170 km). Re-entry is expected late Friday, Sept. 23, or early Saturday, Sept. 24, Eastern Daylight Time. Solar activity is no longer the major factor in the satellite’s rate of descent. The satellite’s orientation or configuration apparently has changed, and that is now slowing its descent. There is a low probability any debris that survives re-entry will land in the United States, but the possibility cannot be discounted because of this changing rate of descent. It is still too early to predict the time and location of re-entry with any certainty, but predictions will become more refined in the next 12 to 18 hours.
Predicting the exact time an orbiting object starts its final descent into the atmosphere is virtually impossible. All you can do is provide a range of dates and times - which you can refine the closer you get to the actual re-entry.
You CAN make re-entry predictable if you deliberately fire a motor on the satellite to slow it down. It will then re-enter "on demand".
The problem with UARS is that it is a dead piece of space junk with no method of contacting it and therefore no method of firing thrusters to slow it down on command.
UARS was launched in 1991 (from the cargo bay of space Shuttle Discovery) and had no provisions for a controlled descent.
Since then, new rules have been brought in which are supposed to mean that all defunct satellites have the capability of being de-orbited on comman when they come to the end of their useful lives.
Obviously, this is not perfect as even a satellite fitted with such a system can suddenly expire for no obvious reason or contact with it may be lost due to some error or mistake by a controller or by a fault on the spacecraft.
You CAN make re-entry predictable if you deliberately fire a motor on the satellite to slow it down. It will then re-enter "on demand".
The problem with UARS is that it is a dead piece of space junk with no method of contacting it and therefore no method of firing thrusters to slow it down on command.
UARS was launched in 1991 (from the cargo bay of space Shuttle Discovery) and had no provisions for a controlled descent.
Since then, new rules have been brought in which are supposed to mean that all defunct satellites have the capability of being de-orbited on comman when they come to the end of their useful lives.
Obviously, this is not perfect as even a satellite fitted with such a system can suddenly expire for no obvious reason or contact with it may be lost due to some error or mistake by a controller or by a fault on the spacecraft.
Even though Heavens Above is stating that there are no VISIBLE passes over the UK for the next ten days, providing it stays up for the next 10 hours or so, there are defintely some passes over the UK. They are not vsible passes because by the time it crosses the UK, UARS will be deep in the earth's shadow.
However, if it is re-entering and burning up as it goes over the UK, then it definitely WOULD be visible.
Here are the listings -
Date Mag Starts Max. altitude Ends
Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az.
23 Sep 2.3 00:10:45 10 NW 00:11:47 14 N 00:12:49 10 NNE
23 Sep 2.1 01:42:08 10 NNW 01:43:20 16 NNE 01:44:31 10 NE
23 Sep -1.4 03:12:52 10 WNW 03:14:34 78 SSW 03:16:15 10 SE
23 Sep 2.2 23:34:29 10 NW 23:35:15 12 N 23:36:01 10 NNE
24 Sep 2.3 01:05:33 10 NNW 01:06:07 11 N 01:06:42 10 NNE
It looks like it is passing overhead - although fairly low down - around 23.30 tonight.
However, if it is re-entering and burning up as it goes over the UK, then it definitely WOULD be visible.
Here are the listings -
Date Mag Starts Max. altitude Ends
Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az.
23 Sep 2.3 00:10:45 10 NW 00:11:47 14 N 00:12:49 10 NNE
23 Sep 2.1 01:42:08 10 NNW 01:43:20 16 NNE 01:44:31 10 NE
23 Sep -1.4 03:12:52 10 WNW 03:14:34 78 SSW 03:16:15 10 SE
23 Sep 2.2 23:34:29 10 NW 23:35:15 12 N 23:36:01 10 NNE
24 Sep 2.3 01:05:33 10 NNW 01:06:07 11 N 01:06:42 10 NNE
It looks like it is passing overhead - although fairly low down - around 23.30 tonight.
Eric Mc said:
el stovey said:
BuzzLightyear said:
A little research shows that UARS (YouArse?)
That's the story here, never mind that there is a 1:3500 chance someone is going to get hit by space debris in the great re entry lottery. The best part is that someone called a satellite 'you arse'.
SOHF!Edited by BuzzLightyear on Friday 23 September 22:50
I remember seeing a Russian Cosmos satellite re-entering over Scotland back in the 90s. Came out of the pub in Edinburgh at about 1am on a clear night and saw a green fireball with a long ionisation trail behind it and lots of debris pieces breaking away. Only lasted a few secs but looked spectacular. Next morning the press was rammed with reports of brainless chimps phoning the Police/RAF/Air Traffic to report UFOs/aliens...
I'm currently watching it's current location on this web site
http://www.n2yo.com/?s=21701
Took a bit to get a connection, but shows its orbit (and it's earth footprint) nicely.
As of now currently over Indonesia.. then Oz then back over towards the UK direction.
http://www.n2yo.com/?s=21701
Took a bit to get a connection, but shows its orbit (and it's earth footprint) nicely.
As of now currently over Indonesia.. then Oz then back over towards the UK direction.
Bedazzled said:
Eric Mc said:
It looks like it is passing overhead - although fairly low down - around 23.30 tonight.
Fingers crossed, it's not too low down! I take your point about uncontrolled entry, but I'm still surprised they can't predict the trajectory more accurately.
http://www.lizard-tail.com/isana/tracking/?target=...
The pass after next will probably be the best sighting for the UK.
The pass after next will probably be the best sighting for the UK.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-1503...
Pacific splashdown.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0924/satellite.html
Canada impact.
Well it's somewhere!
Pacific splashdown.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0924/satellite.html
Canada impact.
Well it's somewhere!
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