Deployable drogue chute? Just anything light weight that greatly increases the surface area. On 2/9/22 16:08, Chris Kuethe via Seesat-l wrote: > Program could be used more expansively here to include physical design not > just software. They specifically call out "demisable" design, and I suspect > they're also including operational techniques such as initial deployment to > lower altitudes so that even if a spacecraft is catastrophically damaged or > non-responsive upon deployment it'll naturally decay very quickly. But this > will be a great chance to see how well this demisable design works. > > I'd consider pyrotechnic destruct devices to be non-starters on the > regulatory front. If the NRO wants to put some thermite on their latest > bird for security reasons Vandenberg, ATF, FCC, and FAA would probably > approve it; I can't see the the spooky powers that be giving similar > approval for 12000 hand grenades to be in orbit, potentially creating more > space junk or posing a threat to other space assets. I'm not sure how you'd > reliably burn up a spacecraft in orbit so you get a cloud of soot rather > than a cloud of shrapnel... > > > > On Wed, Feb 9, 2022 at 5:25 AM satcom ops via Seesat-l <seesat-l_at_satobs.org> > wrote: > >> Hi >> >> According to the operators , they reckon they are programmed to burn up >> before "re-entering". >> >> Not sure how that works unless they have some sort of pirotechnic device. >> >> "The deorbiting satellites pose zero collision risk with other >> satellites and by design demise upon atmospheric reentry — meaning no >> orbital debris is created and no satellite parts hit the ground," SpaceX >> wrote of the satellites' reentry. >> >> https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-satellites-lost-geomagnetic-storm >> >> Regards >> >> John >> >> >> On 09/02/2022 12:35, Marco Langbroek via Seesat-l wrote: >>> Helmets on everybody.... ;-) >>> >>> There is an increased chance of seeing a reentry the coming days. Some >>> 40 Starlink satellites from the very recent Feb 3 launch are coming down. >>> >>> The reason is a solar storm a day after the launch. This prevented the >>> satellites, initially deployed in a very low orbit, to raise their >>> orbits in time. >>> >>> So now almost all of them will reenter. It are uncontrolled reentries. >>> >>> Some have already reentered (e.g. the Puerto Rico event of Feb 7, >>> http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Feb-2022/0034.html): many more will over >>> the coming days. >>> >>> This is an update from SpaceX itself on it: >>> >>> -------------------------------------------------------------- >>> https://www.spacex.com/updates/ >>> >>> February 8, 2022 >>> GEOMAGNETIC STORM AND RECENTLY DEPLOYED STARLINK SATELLITES >>> >>> On Thursday, February 3 at 1:13 p.m. EST, Falcon 9 launched 49 Starlink >>> satellites to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at >>> Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Falcon 9’s second stage deployed the >>> satellites into their intended orbit, with a perigee of approximately >>> 210 kilometers above Earth, and each satellite achieved controlled >> flight. >>> SpaceX deploys its satellites into these lower orbits so that in the >>> very rare case any satellite does not pass initial system checkouts it >>> will quickly be deorbited by atmospheric drag. While the low deployment >>> altitude requires more capable satellites at a considerable cost to us, >>> it’s the right thing to do to maintain a sustainable space environment. >>> >>> Unfortunately, the satellites deployed on Thursday were significantly >>> impacted by a geomagnetic storm on Friday. These storms cause the >>> atmosphere to warm and atmospheric density at our low deployment >>> altitudes to increase. In fact, onboard GPS suggests the escalation >>> speed and severity of the storm caused atmospheric drag to increase up >>> to 50 percent higher than during previous launches. The Starlink team >>> commanded the satellites into a safe-mode where they would fly edge-on >>> (like a sheet of paper) to minimize drag—to effectively “take cover >>> from the storm”—and continued to work closely with the Space Force’s >>> 18th Space Control Squadron and LeoLabs to provide updates on the >>> satellites based on ground radars. >>> >>> Preliminary analysis show the increased drag at the low altitudes >>> prevented the satellites from leaving safe-mode to begin orbit raising >>> maneuvers, and up to 40 of the satellites will reenter or already have >>> reentered the Earth’s atmosphere. The deorbiting satellites pose zero >>> collision risk with other satellites and by design demise upon >>> atmospheric reentry—meaning no orbital debris is created and no >>> satellite parts hit the ground. This unique situation demonstrates the >>> great lengths the Starlink team has gone to ensure the system is on the >>> leading edge of on-orbit debris mitigation. >>> -------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> - Marco >>> >>> >>> >>> ----- >>> Dr Marco Langbroek - SatTrackCam Leiden, the Netherlands. >>> e-mail: sattrackcam_at_langbroek.org >>> >>> launchtower: http://launchtower.langbroek.org >>> Station (b)log: http://sattrackcam.blogspot.com >>> Twitter: _at_Marco_Langbroek >>> ----- >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Seesat-l mailing list >>> http://mailman.satobs.org/mailman/listinfo/seesat-l >> _______________________________________________ >> Seesat-l mailing list >> http://mailman.satobs.org/mailman/listinfo/seesat-l >> > _______________________________________________ Seesat-l mailing list http://mailman.satobs.org/mailman/listinfo/seesat-lReceived on Thu Feb 10 2022 - 08:11:22 UTC
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