US poised to destroy satellite

[Crispy]

1. I believe this was just a kinetic impact - that's the design for the BMD system at any rate.

2. The satellite was already in a decaying orbit - therefore so is the debris.

3. YYEEEEE-HAW!

4. Not to my knowledge. Not that it's hard to spot on radar, though.

 

[kyser_soze]

Hmm, does anyone know what would happen if you let a nuke off in space? I was thinking that for these kinds of satellite clearance a small baby nuke would do a better job of vapourising the debris field...

 

[david dissadent]

Hmm, does anyone know what would happen if you let a nuke off in space? I was thinking that for these kinds of satellite clearance a small baby nuke would do a better job of vapourising the debris field...

At that altitude there is still a significant amount of an exo-sphere. This is the biggest reason that such low orbit satalites de-orbit so quickly the small amount of drag from the exosphere.

At that altitude the exosphere would have enough matter to create an EPM, a very very significant EPM at that. It would cause billions of dollars of damage to other satalites and take out god knows how much electrical equipment in the Eastern Pacific area.

And its banned by treaty.

 

[kyser_soze]

The EMP effect was where I was thinking too...still, would be interesting to see a temporary 2nd sun...

 

[MikeMcc]

Footage of the shoot, including impact here:

http://dodvclips.mil/index.jsp?auto_band=x&rf=sv&fr_story=FRdamp250959&rf

 

[DJ Squelch]

Footage of the shoot, including impact here:

http://dodvclips.mil/index.jsp?auto_band=x&rf=sv&fr_story=FRdamp250959&rf

see post 24