[Newsbot]

Title: Another falling satellite may be heading to Canada
Category: World
Posted By: Hyack
Date: 2011-10-08 17:01:28
Canadian

[Bacardi4206]

How many satellite junk do we have on orbit? They all in general going to eventually fall to earth? Gotta clean that stuff up.

[Brenda]

Ehmmm, more than 8,000, but only some of the big old ones will not burn. No big deal. It's just that in the next few years, the old ones will come down.

[saturn_656]

Bacardi4206 Bacardi4206:

How many satellite junk do we have on orbit? They all in general going to eventually fall to earth? Gotta clean that stuff up.

All depends on the orbit. Satellite's orbiting at higher altitudes will take longer to descend into the atmosphere.

Some may remain in orbit for thousands of years I imagine. For example Vanguard 1 is currently the oldest satellite still in orbit. It's orbit was originally intended to keep it aloft for 2,000 years, but they didn't account for other environmental factors that affect the orbit.

It should re-enter in a little over 200 years or so.

[fifeboy]

So, who's gonna laugh at me now, wearing my helmet 24/7, eh!

[jeff744]

Brenda Brenda:

Ehmmm, more than 8,000, but only some of the big old ones will not burn. No big deal. It's just that in the next few years, the old ones will come down.

About 22,000 objects total (2011 estimate) as well and that number will increase as in 2005 they estimated 13,000 and in 2006 upped it to 19,000. A lot of this debris would be a result of stuff we put up there.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_debris#Debris_growth

[Brenda]

jeff744 jeff744:

Brenda Brenda:

Ehmmm, more than 8,000, but only some of the big old ones will not burn. No big deal. It's just that in the next few years, the old ones will come down.

About 22,000 objects total (2011 estimate) as well and that number will increase as in 2005 they estimated 13,000 and in 2006 upped it to 19,000. A lot of this debris would be a result of stuff we put up there.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_debris#Debris_growth

I thought the number I mentioned was very low, but that was what the article said.

Of course that means a lot of space junk too, but when it comes back to Earth, most of it will burn...

[PENATRATOR]

"Krag points out there are between 10 and 30 uncontrolled satellite re-entries annually. But he stresses not many are really big."

This quote cracks me up, because apparently a LITTLE piece of satellite falling out of the sky that hits you won't fuck you up