Another Satellite to come crashing down...ROSAT

[jmorgan]

Hey up. Or down, depending on your point of view. Seems the German built satellite ROSAT will make an entry soon and bits make it to Terra Firma. (I know, there is a joke in there somewhere).
Link
Link 2

[Eric Mc]

Passing over the UK ina few minutes. Due to re-enter any day now.

[Simpo Two]

jmorgan said:

(I know, there is a joke in there somewhere)

'Vergeltungswaffe 3 arrives after 66 years in orbit'?

[Huff]

'Vonce ze rockets are up /who cares vere zey come down
That's not my department!'/ says Werner Von Braun.

(Tom Lehrer)

[jmorgan]

Is it today? Get the brolly.

[Simpo Two]

Be a bummer if it hits the Soyuz going up.

[jmorgan]

From tomorrow then...

[Eric Mc]

Fell down Saturday, apparently.

[jmorgan]

Yeah, went quiet here so thought no one was bothering. Indian ocean wasn't it?

[Eric Mc]

Don't know.

[anonymous-user]

jmorgan said:

Yeah, went quiet here so thought no one was bothering. Indian ocean wasn't it?

That was their estimate. Bloke in his back garden covered in debris may disagree though

[jmorgan]

Here it is
http://www.universetoday.com/90274/rosats-crash-si...

[jmorgan]

Now the Russians are at it.....

Failed Mars moon probe unless they can recover it.

http://news.yahoo.com/russians-desperately-try-sav...

[Eric Mc]

Yep - engines never fired to boost it out of earth orbit.

The Russkies have had singular bad luck when it comes to the Red Planet.

I think this one passes over the UK too.

[MartG]

There are lots of conflicting reports on this one regarding how long they have to sort it's problem and maybe get it on its way to Mars, how long it has power for ( some say its batteries will only last a couple of days, some say its solar powered so no issue, some say its solar panels can't be deployed until after the Mars insertion burn ).

If it does come down, it could be bad as it has rather a lot of toxic hypergolic fuel onboard

[jmorgan]

Yeah, I was reading up on the Me163 somewhere and the pilot had a nasty end if the stuff leaked out, said the book. One report expects that is there is a reentry it will burn up (the fuel) but how strong are the tanks?

[Simpo Two]

jmorgan said:

Yeah, I was reading up on the Me163 somewhere and the pilot had a nasty end if the stuff leaked out

That was hydrazine and hydrogen peroxide, lovingly named C-Stoff and T-Stoff by the Germans. Not sure what 'toxic hypergolic' is though.

[jmorgan]

Ah, there is me not knowing my fuels.