German Rosat spacecraft to make uncontrolled re-entry

Gerald · 10-22-11, 10:51 AM

Quote:

A big German spacecraft is about to make an uncontrolled fall from the sky.The Roentgen Satellite (Rosat) is due to come back to Earth at some stage over the weekend - possibly Sunday.Just as for Nasa's UARS satellite, which plunged into the atmosphere in September, no-one can say precisely when and where Rosat will come in.What makes the redundant German craft's return interesting is that much more debris this time is likely to survive all the way to the Earth's surface.Experts calculate that perhaps as much as 1.6 tonnes of wreckage - more than half the spacecraft's launch mass - could ride out the destructive forces of re-entry and hit the planet. In the case of UARS, the probable mass of surviving material was put at only half a tonne (out of a launch mass of more than six tonnes).The difference is due to some more robust components on the German space agency (DLR) satellite.Rosat was an X-ray telescope mission and had a mirror system made of a reinforced carbon composite material. This mirror complex and its support structure are expected to form the largest single fragment in what could be a shower of some 30 pieces of debris to make it through to the surface.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15402157

Note: 22 October 2011 Last updated at 13:59 GMT

Oberon · 10-22-11, 11:07 AM

I bet it lands on London...

Gerald · 10-22-11, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

I bet it lands on London...

At 10 Downing Street,

Gerald · 10-22-11, 01:46 PM

Jimbuna · 10-22-11, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

I bet it lands on London...

It would be weighed in for scrap within minutes

MothBalls · 10-22-11, 06:28 PM

Watching this live on two different feeds. They need to get in sync, because according to their 'live' feed they are 1/4 a world off.....

http://www.n2yo.com/?s=20638

http://www.theweatherspace.com/livebroadcast.html

Sailor Steve · 10-22-11, 08:11 PM

Both show the same to me - just crossing the coast of Equador.

Pretty cool, though. Thanks for the links.

TLAM Strike · 10-22-11, 10:12 PM

Never knew Germany made a FOBS...

10-22-11, 01:46 PM	#4
Gerald SUBSIM Newsman Join Date: May 2008 Location: Close to sea Posts: 24,254 Downloads: 553 Uploads: 0	__________________ Nothing in life is to be feard,it is only to be understood. Marie Curie

10-22-11, 08:11 PM	#7
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Both show the same to me - just crossing the coast of Equador. Pretty cool, though. Thanks for the links. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

10-22-11, 10:12 PM	#8
TLAM Strike Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Rochester, New York Posts: 8,633 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 6	Never knew Germany made a FOBS... __________________

10-22-11, 11:07 AM	#2
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	I bet it lands on London...

10-22-11, 06:28 PM	#6
MothBalls Ace of the Deep Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 1,012 Downloads: 20 Uploads: 0	Watching this live on two different feeds. They need to get in sync, because according to their 'live' feed they are 1/4 a world off..... http://www.n2yo.com/?s=20638 http://www.theweatherspace.com/livebroadcast.html