Uh Oh! Chinese Space Station Falling Down

[KG4CGC]

http://www.iflscience.com/space/china-finally-confirms-their-space-station-is-crashing-towards-earth/

The Chinese space station is falling towards Earth. Most of it may burn up upon re-entry in 2017 as it is currently 230 miles above in orbit although they have no control over it.

Your guess is as good as mine.

[PA5COR]

It's their old one abandoned in March.
;)

[W3WN]

If memory serves, a news article the other day about their new one stated that the old one was going to be dropped into the atmosphere to burn up.

By design.

So this isn't exactly breaking news... or anything to worry about.

[K4PIH]

Yeah it is a concern if it falls on your head.

[NQ6U]

Anyone else remember the uncontrolled re-entry of Skylab (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylab) in 1979?

[W3WN]

Yeah it is a concern if it falls on your head.
It's been put in an orbit designed to drop it (or what's left after it burns during reentry) into an ocean, most likely the Pacific.

Anyone else remember the uncontrolled re-entry of Skylab (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylab) in 1979?
Yes.

Had the Shuttle program not had some delays, NASA would have had had another crew board Skylab and (to make a long story short) perform tasks which would have resulted in more control over the re-entry. Different situation.

[K4PIH]

It's been put in an orbit designed to drop it (or what's left after it burns during reentry) into an ocean, most likely the Pacific.

Yes.

Had the Shuttle program not had some delays, NASA would have had had another crew board Skylab and (to make a long story short) perform tasks which would have resulted in more control over the re-entry. Different situation.

Not what I've been reading on the Interweb where everything is true. Supposedly the Chinese have lost control of the station hence the reason it's dropping out of orbit. Since they no longer have control they cannot control here it will reenter. Hopefully some place in the Pacific ocean.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/sep/21/chinas-tiangong-1-space-station-out-of-control-crash-to-earth
http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/satellites/a22936/tiangong-falling-to-earth/
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/09/21/a-chinese-space-station-is-falling-to-earth-amid-speculation-that-its-out-of-control.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/09/21/out-of-control-chinas-tiangong-1-space-station-will-fall-to-earth-somewhere-in-2017/

Just sayin ...

[KG4CGC]

Anyone else remember the uncontrolled re-entry of Skylab (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylab) in 1979?

Yes. I read somewhere on the internet that it was actually sabotaged to make Jimmy Carter look bad. :mrgreen:

[K4PIH]

Yes. I read somewhere on the internet that it was actually sabotaged to make Jimmy Carter look bad. :mrgreen:

Must be true then.

[WØTKX]

Main Topic:

http://www.sciencealert.com/china-pretty-much-just-admitted-that-it-s-lost-control-of-its-space-station

Sub T(r)opic:

With love to the troll, because Love Trumps Hate...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdiz0k0Rudw

Jimmy Carter got screwed by the October surprise, Reagan and his handlers borrowed from Nixon's playbook. I wonder if Trump will get the same support from today's GOP? Meh.

Oh, and this was Obama's October surprise in 2008. :mrgreen:

http://www.thepaincomics.com/Obama's%20October%20Surprise.jpg

[NQ6U]

Supposedly the Chinese have lost control of the station hence the reason it's dropping out of orbit. Since they no longer have control they cannot control here it will reenter.

This makes me glad I own not one but two hard hats.

[WØTKX]

I have two hard hats as well. Pisses the company off, because they have to pay extra.

Size eight freakin' hat.

[NQ6U]

I have two hard hats as well. Pisses the company off, because they have to pay extra.

Size eight freakin' hat.

Yeah I'm a fathead too: 7 7/8

[KK4AMI]

Me to, I laugh at the phrase "one size fits all". I figured you would be wearing one hard hat on the boat. How many times have you hit your head so far?

[NQ6U]

Me to, I laugh at the phrase "one size fits all". I figured you would be wearing one hard hat on the boat. How many times have you hit your head so far?

Not an issue on this boat—the helm position is behind the end of the boom so I can actually stand at the wheel without bonking my punkin' haid every time I tack. Others in the cockpit are fine as well, as long as they're seated.

[AA1OH]

I am not worried where it will fall to Earth. I am more worried about what it will take out of orbit with it. It is getting tight up there. I wish they could collect all the defunct parts up there and open a floating pick your part salvage yard. It would be the ultimate Erector set! Need more power for your space station? Take the solar cells off that dead satellite......$20 buck please! Need more room? Take that booster stage...

[N8YX]

I am not worried where it will fall to Earth. I am more worried about what it will take out of orbit with it. It is getting tight up there. I wish they could collect all the defunct parts up there and open a floating pick your part salvage yard. It would be the ultimate Erector set! Need more power for your space station? Take the solar cells off that dead satellite......$20 buck please! Need more room? Take that booster stage...

It's all fun and games until an RTG falls in your back yard.

[WZ7U]

I remember a recent movie with a similar premise.....

[W3WN]

I remember a recent movie with a similar premise.....I hope it wasn't Moonraker.

[AA1OH]

I remember a recent movie with a similar premise.....

Was it "Space Balls"?

[W3WN]

Was it "Space Balls"?
Spaceballs? Only at the very end. And that wasn't a space station.

[WZ7U]

Naw, Nothing as good as space balls - it had a high dollar dude and a high dollar chic, and they were on a shuttle that got ka-blammed by space debris caused by another country wrecking something of theirs on purpose and it messed up a whole lotta peoples day. Chic goes off in a rescue capsule of some sort and has a headtrip...it was ok I guess. CGI was impressive at least. Title escapes me...

See how much attention I pay to Hollyweird? Anyway, I guess it was the whole space debris thing that got my attention. Never mind

[W3WN]

Naw, Nothing as good as space balls - it had a high dollar dude and a high dollar chic, and they were on a shuttle that got ka-blammed by space debris caused by another country wrecking something of theirs on purpose and it messed up a whole lotta peoples day. Chic goes off in a rescue capsule of some sort and has a headtrip...it was ok I guess. CGI was impressive at least. Title escapes me...

See how much attention I pay to Hollyweird? Anyway, I guess it was the whole space debris thing that got my attention. Never mind
Oh. You meant Gravity. I thought you meant a GOOD movie... :-D

[n6hcm]

i forget where i read this earlier today, but they claim that some parts are too dense to burn up upon re-entry and that 100kg chunks can end up in populated areas. oops.