Nice job, China

War Wagon · Post by **War Wagon** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 11:58 pm

Bet those dumbfucks didn't think of all the consequences of blasting a satellite in orbit to smithereens. This after the mouthy bitches were supposedly trying to keep "space junk" to a minimum, eh?

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/06/scien ... ref=slogin

So Felix, I guess they were "just defending" themselves.

War Wagon · Post by **War Wagon** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:19 am

So, that debris field poses no threat whatsoever?

War Wagon · Post by **War Wagon** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 3:07 am

Didn't see where the article described the problem as urgent. It could be though. If not today, some time from now.

Just wondering mv, this topic goring some particular sacred cow? Or are the Chinese blowing up satellites and adding to the debris field just all in good fun by your book?

Even though you're obviously more knowledgable than those scientists who actually study this, I certainly don't think you can dismiss it quite so nonchalantly.

Dr_Phibes · Post by **Dr_Phibes** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 3:54 am

In the last decade or so, as scientists came to agree

They did?

This is just xenophobia targetted at the Mikey/B_Smack crowd. China hates humanities reach for the stars.

poptart · Post by **poptart** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 5:19 am

If I need to buy a helmet over here, somebody smart please tell me.

Mikey · Post by **Mikey** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 3:45 pm

Thing is, we already have the technology to solve this vexing problem...

Tom In VA · Post by **Tom In VA** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 4:18 pm

Spaceballs resets will always get a rack from me.

Mel Brooks is money.

Mister Bushice · Post by **Mister Bushice** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 5:54 pm

mvscal wrote:
War Wagon wrote:Just wondering mv, this topic goring some particular sacred cow?
Yes, it is. Namely common sense, modest intelligence and critical thinking.

Except of course that the "theory" has a valid argument. Think of the video game Asteroids if you like. You keep adding junk to an established satellite orbit eventually you will have collisions which will create more junk, which will create more collisions, eventually taking out something expensive and important. It's not all that far fetched. The Clarke orbit satellites wouldn't need something very large to take them out at the speed they're going. Sure the odds aren't high right now, but over time they will increase.

However it does seem like scientists are being a bit chicken little about it right now. After all, there's lots of money to be dredged up for research into the problem, right?

Tom In VA · Post by **Tom In VA** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 6:30 pm

Mister Bushice wrote:Think of the video game Asteroids if you like. You keep adding junk to an established satellite orbit eventually you will have collisions which will create more junk, which will create more collisions, eventually taking out something expensive and important. It's not all that far fetched.

No problem then just hit the "Hyperspace" button.

Mister Bushice · Post by **Mister Bushice** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 6:35 pm

watch out for the sun, though.

War Wagon · Post by **War Wagon** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 7:55 pm

Perhaps it's a needle in a haystack, but if it's me or my billion dollar toys hurtling thru that haystack at 16,500 mph, I'd prefer that less, not more, needles be present.

Dinsdale · Post by **Dinsdale** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 8:45 pm

mvscal wrote:The question is what, if anything, can we do about it and how much will it cost.

We're on it.

Sin,
Halliburton

War Wagon · Post by **War Wagon** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 11:14 pm

mvscal wrote:The question is what, if anything, can we do about it.

Just one idea, but maybe we could start by not shooting missiles at satellites in orbit?

War Wagon · Post by **War Wagon** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 2:36 am

We = the inhabitants of this planet. In orbit, borders aren't quite so defined.

Mikey · Post by **Mikey** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 3:06 am

We?

Speak for yourself, commie.

Maybe you should get together with some of your commie buddies and sing a few rounds of Kumbaya.

War Wagon · Post by **War Wagon** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 3:46 am

Nice try, Mikey.

Try again.

ChargerMike · Post by **ChargerMike** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 8:26 pm

..I got through the first paragraph before bailing...I'm assuming the rest of the article is equally hyperbolic?

"For decades, space experts have worried that a speeding bit of orbital debris might one day smash a large spacecraft into hundreds of pieces and start a chain reaction, a slow cascade of collisions that would expand for centuries, spreading chaos through the heavens."

I've started digging a bomb shelter in my rear yard.

sin. 1956

wait...no I haven't