LeoLabs, is monitoring a close approach event involving two dead satellites. The birds counterrotating orbits intersect today over Pittsburg, PA, at 5:39 pm Central.

Because the dead birds are in counterrotating orbits and one of the birds, IRAS (Infrared Astronomical Satellite) is very large, with a mass over 1000 kilograms, a head-on impact at a velocity of 14.9 kilometers per second (33,330 mph) would be catastrophic and add thousands of pieces of space debris into low earth orbit.

The concern of a head-on space collision like this is the potential chain reaction as each satellite collision turns two objects into thousands of smaller objects that endanger other satellites we depend on. The more space junk in orbit makes it more difficult to plan future launches and manage birds in orbit.

The issue is many of the now dead or soon to fail birds were launched with no plans to de-orbit after their missions are complete. It’s much more difficult to track the smaller objects and we still don’t have a scaleable solution to collect space debris.

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Blue Moon

With all the junk in orbit, it may not be long before the Earth will look like it has rings like Saturn.

Yikes

This will be interesting.

+1

Yeppers...

Sometimes the big sky theory doesn’t work.

Are there betting odds?

Another Elon Musk business opportunity in the making. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Dead Satellite Recovery and Removal LLC

I don't bet but from a statistical standpoint a few days ago it was 1-in-100, as they get closer, last time I checked this morning LeoLabs had the chances at 1-in-1000. They are expecting a near miss with only 13 to 87 meters separation. In space terms, that's very close. The data sets they are using for modeling are very good but not good enough to pinpoint the intersection.

There is apparently no danger for any ground impact. Just a danger to what is in space and what's to come.

For sure. Also LeoLabs (LEO=Low Earth Orbit) is a startup of wicked smart guys that saw the opportunity to monitor what is going on in low earth orbit. SpaceX and all the other companies are keeping them busy and flush with cash.

Heck, lets just send up the space shuttle and have them grab one of them then go after the other one. Oh, we can't since we got out of the shuttle business and depend on others to take care of stuff like this.

Starlink just sent a missile into space this morning saying they are launching 60 internet satellites in space for high speed internet world wide . The weather channel showed the launch this morning . NASA has already said they cannot monitor all the space junk in space now but they do know that even the ISS has been effected in the past and has had some close calls ! The right junk striking the wrong place on the ISS can take the whole Space Station down and kill all aboard .

SpaceX is shooting to have 12,000 Starlink satellites in orbit by the mid to late 2020's. Its going to begin to get a bit crowded up there.

Update - In the last few hours, LeoLabs has increased the probability impact from 1 in 1000, to 1 in 100, and now to 1 in 20 based on new data.

The GSSR decommissioned US spy satellite appears to be on a path that will pass directly above the IRAS satellite. The GSSR passing directly above has an 18 meter boom designed to point down toward earth. It’s unclear if the GSSR is stable or spinning. While LeoLabs still believes it will be a very near miss, if the GSSR is stable with the boom pointing downward, it greatly increases the chances of impact.

Blue Moon

Should the Chicken Littles of the World be worried?