Re: Yet more FengYun debris

From: Christian Kjrnet (ckjarnet@broadpark.no)
Date: Wed Feb 14 2007 - 02:16:42 EST

  • Next message: Bob Christy: "RE: Yet more FengYun debris"

    Greg,
    
    If the ASAT weapon indeed had struck the satellite head on, the result would
    have been numerous pieces of debris (maybe up to 50%) traveling in the
    opposite direction, and some pieces would have fallen to the ground. No such
    pieces exist. That would have been like a head on collision between two
    cars, where the two wrecks and most debris normally come to rest about at
    the collision point.
    
    Given that all the debris pieces now travel in the same direction as the
    target and in about the same orbital plane, one can conclude that the ASAT
    weapon did strike from behind, with approximately a coplanar trajectory; and
    since most debris pieces have a higher orbit than the target satellite had
    originally, this indicates that the ASAT weapon struck from slightly below
    the satellite.
    
    To conclude: The ASAT weapon probably struck from behind and slightly below
    the target satellite.
    
    Christian
    
    -- 
    Christian Kjærnet
    
    On 14-02-07 04:24, "Greg Williams" <k4hsm@lock-net.com> wrote:
    
    > I believe the satellite was struck head on by the ASAT weapon, so it
    > would be traveling in completely opposite directions.
    > 
    > Greg
    > 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive:  
    http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
    



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Feb 14 2007 - 02:28:34 EST