that plunging satellite

[Spartacus]

where will it land?
can we shoot it down?

 

[bw1]

I think they are planning on shooting it down. I just know a piece of it will smash out my windshield.

 

[MichaelScott]

shoot it down

 

[redsamurai]

This is why I don't watch cable news..........they get you worked up about completely inconsequential shit.

 

[redguru]

Looks like a great test platform for the SM-3. The thing is as big as a school bus and is on a regular route. We easily hit it and get great publicity for the sea-borne missile defense project.

 

[stosstruppe]

Probably on top of a church on a Sunday morning:

"Hallelujah, hhaaallleeelluuuuu... BBBOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM ARGH what the fuck the Lord has forsaken us!!1 Medic!!!1 Aaaiieiee!!1"

 

[Spartacus]

Looks like a great test platform for the SM-3. The thing is as big as a school bus and is on a regular route. We easily hit it and get great publicity for the sea-borne missile defense project.

what I was thinking

 

[GUARDIAN]

will it even survive the re-entry?

 

[redsamurai]

I'll bet the plan all along was to have it decay so they could test the missile shield and then convince the american taxpayer that the 100 bazillion dollar price tag was worth it. Cause you know the Iranians are about two weeks away from throwing a nuke into orbit and attacking the U.S...... LOL

 

[Spartacus]

maybe nuke Rome

 

[bw1]

will it even survive the re-entry?

Probably not

 

[PICK3]

I'll probably get nailed by a chunk of debri the day after I win the Power Ball lottery

 

[digger]

The hobbyists who like to track stuff like this say it's a radar satellite, which was supposed to have a service life of eight years or so, involving lots of maneuvering. Its fuel tank has THREE TONS of hydrazine. Problem is that it failed as soon as they tried to power it up, so none of that fuel has been used. If nothing changes it's almost certain that tank will reach the ground, bust open, and ruin the day of anyone up to a half-mile downwind.

In other words it's not a city-killer but it could mess up a small town REAL good.



Putting a Standard missile through it just before re-entry means the toxic stuff gets dissipated and the hardware comes down in small pieces, which will either burn up or be light enough to flutter rather than smash.