Satellite Explodes in Orbit
Discussion
Interesting video has been released showing that a geostationary communications satellite, Intelsat 29E, appears to have blown up - or at least burst a fuel tank, in orbit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqPrVn71IqY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqPrVn71IqY
Interesting vid. Cheers.
Would you know if all geostationary satellites are monitored like this? Or did they detect a problem first and then start recording it?
Does look like a pressurised compartment of some sort failing completely, given the way there seems to be matter being expelled in all directions.
Would you know if all geostationary satellites are monitored like this? Or did they detect a problem first and then start recording it?
Does look like a pressurised compartment of some sort failing completely, given the way there seems to be matter being expelled in all directions.
55palfers said:
I thought the same 
FourWheelDrift said:
They shouldn't have stirred the oxygen tanks.
As someone earlier said, I expect they had fair warning of what was about to happen which is why they managed to get a camera on it. I think the really impressive thing is that we could get a camera on it and see it as it happened with such clarity. As Eric said, this object is 22,000 miles away. That's a hell of a distant for us to be able to see with a camera and track so well. Not only was it far away, but would be travelling at crazy speeds.
AshVX220 said:
As someone earlier said, I expect they had fair warning of what was about to happen which is why they managed to get a camera on it. I think the really impressive thing is that we could get a camera on it and see it as it happened with such clarity. As Eric said, this object is 22,000 miles away. That's a hell of a distant for us to be able to see with a camera and track so well. Not only was it far away, but would be travelling at crazy speeds.
As it happens, there are a number of satellite tracking packages which interface to standard telescope mount software to allow tracking of non-geostationary targets - regular updates of satellite orbital parameters need to be downloaded to keep them up to date - going to have a crack at it myself this weekend if the weather is clear.
In fact, there is a rare daytime solar transit of the ISS visible from here on Monday morning, and the forecast is now hinting it might be clear, so will try and get a white-light solar filter on a telescope and see if I can get a solar ISS silhouette - no need to track the ISS though, easier to just set up solar tracking and wait.....
https://transit-finder.com
eharding said:
It would be interesting to know the type of telescope required to reveal that amount of detail, but as for the tracking.....it was a geostationary satellite, wasn't it? So not really a challenge.
As it happens, there are a number of satellite tracking packages which interface to standard telescope mount software to allow tracking of non-geostationary targets - regular updates of satellite orbital parameters need to be downloaded to keep them up to date - going to have a crack at it myself this weekend if the weather is clear.
In fact, there is a rare daytime solar transit of the ISS visible from here on Monday morning, and the forecast is now hinting it might be clear, so will try and get a white-light solar filter on a telescope and see if I can get a solar ISS silhouette - no need to track the ISS though, easier to just set up solar tracking and wait.....
https://transit-finder.com
As it happens, there are a number of satellite tracking packages which interface to standard telescope mount software to allow tracking of non-geostationary targets - regular updates of satellite orbital parameters need to be downloaded to keep them up to date - going to have a crack at it myself this weekend if the weather is clear.
In fact, there is a rare daytime solar transit of the ISS visible from here on Monday morning, and the forecast is now hinting it might be clear, so will try and get a white-light solar filter on a telescope and see if I can get a solar ISS silhouette - no need to track the ISS though, easier to just set up solar tracking and wait.....
https://transit-finder.com
If the inclination & eccentricity of the orbit are/were being kept under control, i.e. near zero, then there shouldn't be any crazy speeds to an observer on the earth with a Geo Stationary satellite, which makes tracking a lot easier. I'm not sure why the stars are going by so quickly in the background, Is this just the effect of the earth's rotation when using serious magnification or has the inclination been allowed to wander causing the figure 8 tracking? I only have a 120 mm refractor telescope to compare with.
They managed a good picture of Envisat in LEO after it went AWOL a few years back. That is moving a bit sharpish. The photo shows it intact, so the suspected loss of contact has been put down to meteorite or space debris collision.
WRT tracking the ISS, I once saw it quite accidentally through the finder scope whilst looking for something else. The really cool bit was the second dot tracking closely behind it. A quick google showed this to be the shuttle closing in on it. I probably wouldn't have found it if I'd been looking for it or the cloud god would have spoiled my fun!
They managed a good picture of Envisat in LEO after it went AWOL a few years back. That is moving a bit sharpish. The photo shows it intact, so the suspected loss of contact has been put down to meteorite or space debris collision.
WRT tracking the ISS, I once saw it quite accidentally through the finder scope whilst looking for something else. The really cool bit was the second dot tracking closely behind it. A quick google showed this to be the shuttle closing in on it. I probably wouldn't have found it if I'd been looking for it or the cloud god would have spoiled my fun!
Edited by Tempest_5 on Sunday 21st April 23:30
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