Chinese Missile Destroys Satellite

[Nick]

Last week, China successfully used a test missile to obliterate an orbiting satellite,
U.S. government officials told CNN Thursday. The test could undermine relations
with the West and pose a threat to satellites important to the U.S. military.

According to a spokesman for the National Security Council, the ground-based,
medium-range ballistic missile knocked an aged weather satellite from its orbit
roughly 537 miles above Earth.

www.SkyReport.com - used with permission

[dmspen]

Not to worry, the TV satellites are at geosynchronous orbits, about 22,500 miles up. We're safe.

[markrubi]

Hmmm.. This just after the Chinese gave us back Jack Bauer.. They are asking for it.

[Nick]

Not to worry, the TV satellites are at geosynchronous orbits, about 22,500 miles up. We're safe.Yes, absolutely! As long as we get our tv, why should we be concerned that
"the test could...pose a threat to satellites important to the U.S. military"
and, therefor, to the security of America?

[FTA Michael]

"Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster and my TV and my steel-belted radials and I won't say anything. Just leave us alone." - Howard Beale

[Jhon69]

The Chinese might take out our satellites but they will leave the HBO satellite cause they know if they take out Skinamax.The only thing left for us will be their a$$ !!.:eek2:

[Richard King]

Not to worry, the TV satellites are at geosynchronous orbits, about 22,500 miles up. We're safe.
Actually, geosynchrounous satellites would be an easier target than the one they got since they sit in one spot in relation to the earth. Lower orbit sats are far from stationary objects.

[kenglish]

Let's see....4 or 5 Echostar sats, 4 or 5 DirecTV sats, a couple of Verizon "SuperHeadends", maybe a couple of "Telstars" for the major networks.....

Terrorists could plunge America in to chaos in a few hours. And, with the space debris, the Clarke Belt could become useless for eons.

[Phil T]

Let's see....4 or 5 Echostar sats, 4 or 5 DirecTV sats, a couple of Verizon "SuperHeadends", maybe a couple of "Telstars" for the major networks.....


Actually, they might be doing us a favor. :D

[P Smith]

Actually, geosynchronous satellites would be an easier target than the one they got since they sit in one spot in relation to the earth. Lower orbit sats are far from stationary objects.
Not that easy.
You probably don't know, but for reach that geo orbit it need additional buster, precise impulse in right time and a correction on final point of destination. I would tell you it is hard and complex task. For sure not easy then hit low orbit target.

[Nick]

Confucious say easier to hit sat @ 22.5k mi than for Manning
to hit wide receiver @ 22.5 yds. Lucky Numbers 7 11 21 33 42

[Smthkd]

Go Colts!!!

[greatwhitenorth]

Last week, China successfully used a test missile to obliterate an orbiting satellite,
U.S. government officials told CNN Thursday. The test could undermine relations
with the West and pose a threat to satellites important to the U.S. military.

According to a spokesman for the National Security Council, the ground-based,
medium-range ballistic missile knocked an aged weather satellite from its orbit
roughly 537 miles above Earth.

www.SkyReport.com - used with permission

Any truth to the rumor that John Malone has ordered up a dozen?

[tsmacro]

I heard them talking about this on the radio last week and they said that by doing this the Chinese essentially doubled the amount of "space junk" orbiting at that level above the earth. Seems like a rather reckless thing to do, especially since the worst of that will continue to orbit over Chinese territory you'd think they'd be smart enough to not want to have to deal such a mess.

[AllieVi]

They're just not playing fair! If we ever have a war with China, we certainly won't try to knock out their satellites.

[Richard King]

Actually, we will do it with environmentally friendly systems, like lasers. ;)

[lwilli201]

I wonder how long it will be before Waste Management has a space junk cleanup division. It will have to happen sooner or later with all that junk up there.

[Nick]

I wonder how long it will be before Waste Management has a space junk cleanup
division. It will have to happen sooner or later with all that junk up there.
Inevitably, and once the shuttles are retired in 2010, they will be available
on the used spacecraft market for a fraction of their original cost. With that
huge cargo bay, they will make the perfect space junk garbage truck.

[P Smith]

Main question - who will pay for the mission ? I'm pretty confident - no one !

[oldschoolecw]

Hmmm.. This just after the Chinese gave us back Jack Bauer.. They are asking for it.

LOL
!rolling

[Nick]

"Inevitably, and once the shuttles are retired in 2010, they will be available
on the used spacecraft market for a fraction of their original cost. With that
huge cargo bay, they will make the perfect space junk garbage truck."Main question - who will pay for the mission?
Not just one "mission" my nave compadre, but on a regular pick-up schedule, like
January or October. As is the case down here on Earth, the cost of collections will
be paid by those who use the service. Better than (not then) being on the losing
end of a civil liability suit when an errant chunk of space debris de-orbits and falls
on your house, or worse, on your '74 AMC Pacer. :sure:

[lwilli201]

All the countries that have space programs will have to come up with a way to clean up all the junk. It is going to be so bad that they will not be able to launch anything without flying thru some of the junk. Dont think many space craft can deal with that.

Check this out.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/08/02/space.junk/index.html?section=cnn_space

[Neil Derryberry]

Inevitably, and once the shuttles are retired in 2010, they will be available
on the used spacecraft market for a fraction of their original cost. With that
huge cargo bay, they will make the perfect space junk garbage truck.

I wish I were good at photoshopping... this would be fun!

[P Smith]

You mean made something like http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2005/TECH/space/08/02/space.junk/story.1st.spcs.jpg

Roger Wilco over the space. ?

[FTA Michael]

Something like that, but substitute a trash truck with a grabber arm. :D

[P Smith]

I recall good picture of space trash collecting vessel ( was it in SW movies or from Sierra games - Space Quests ?).

"1st Space junk removal Squadron" :D

[cj9788]

There was a tv show late 70's called Quark. I think it was about intergalactic trash haulers.

[James Long]

I remember Salvage 1 (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078681/) from 1979.

Here is a picture of a model of The Vulture:
http://culttvman.com/alberto_lopez__salvage.html