Re: Mir debris

Joel_Runes@email.fpl.com
Sat, 28 Oct 95 17:23:06 EST

          I don't know what these most recent debris objects from Mir are,
     but there is a history of debris associated with almost every Mir
     EVA.  Many of the debris objects, particularly those with very high
     drag coefficients appear to be trash bags (I guess it's too difficult
     to load up the Progress tankers with the trash before they are
     deorbited), but none of the recent objects have the traditional
     signature of trash bags.
      
          I think a bit too much is being made of the collision hazard
     associated with these particular debris objects.  They will have a
     relatively short lifetime, they are in orbits used by only a few
     other objects (such as the Shuttle and some PKMs), and they're large
     enough and with stable enough drag coefficients to be readily tracked
     and avoided.  The real debris problem relates to small pieces of
     operational debris and debris from fragmentation events that aren't
     readily tracked.
      
                               Joel_Runes@email.fpl.com
      
               "PERSONAL OPINIONS ONLY"
     


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Mir debris
Author:  seesat-l@iris01.plasma.mpe-garching.mpg.de at Internet-Mail
Date:    10/28/95 3:44 PM


 Does anyone know what these fragments are? The mind reels with the
possibilities... a lost glove? Camera? Nuts and bolts? Bits of plastic? 
It seems if they are visible from the ground they can't be that small. 
What was the initial delta-V when they left MIR for their independent 
existence?