Satellite Train
Author
Discussion

Slowboathome

Original Poster:

4,461 posts

64 months

Friday 18th August 2023
quotequote all
I didn't know such a thing existed. If I'd seen one before watching this video I'd have been convinced it was alien life.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-6653...

Eric Mc

124,442 posts

285 months

Friday 18th August 2023
quotequote all
They only last a few days or weeks. They gradually spread apart.

Beati Dogu

9,344 posts

159 months

Friday 18th August 2023
quotequote all
They look like tracer fire. Nice video.

normalbloke

8,337 posts

239 months

Friday 18th August 2023
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There used to be an app to be able to track them after release, in the early days.I remember sitting in the garden watching them go over, but the novelty soon wore off. I understand they are now coated in something to reduce their reflectivity.

EliseNick

271 posts

201 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
That's a cool video.

This satellite:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TerraSAR-X

and its twin orbit about 200 m apart - I believe one follows the other. At a speed of 7.6 km/s, that's a separation of about a fortieth of a second. Pretty hair-raising.

Simpo Two

90,457 posts

285 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
Whoops, nearly collided at 40"! Wonder what the separation was?