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New York, 5:00 PM
Sun Nov 15
16 posts in the last 24 hours

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  • posts about #hubblespacetelescope more →

    Satellite Collision Could Doom the Hubble Telescope

    NASA Wants You To Tell Them Where to Point the Hubble Space Telescope

    Hubble Resumes Operations, Sends Back Picture of Lost Starfox 64 Level

    Hubble's 486 Computer Blue Screens (i.e. Fails), Repair Efforts Remain in Limbo

    Hubble's 486 Backup Computer Wakes Up For the First Time Since 1990

    Hubble Telescope Communication Breaks Down, Plot Thickens

    NASA Shows Off Fireworks In Space
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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of Vincent C Vincent C
    02/18/09

    In reply to Satellite Collision Could Doom the Hubble Telescope
    the beginning of the end? I can picture a chain reaction where by the end of this yr, we'll be without internet, gps and any form of satellite communication. Couple that with a violent sunspot cycle and you can just picture the new Flint-stone Age...
     Reply
    Vincent C was starred Vincent C was unstarred
    Image of Gary_7vn Gary_7vn
    02/18/09

    @Vincent C: This is definitely the beginning of the end. In fact the end is a dead certainty. The Chinese killed a satellite in an asat test a few months ago, and this one will only add to the mess. Sooner or later these fragments will impact another satellite, increasing the chance of a new collision exponentially.


    I am not sure about the time line, but it is inevitable that in time the Earth will be surrounded by a cloud of debris, trapping us on the planet for thousands of years.


    There is NO program to clean up this mess.

     Reply
    Gary_7vn was starred Gary_7vn was unstarred
    Image of FredicvsMaximvs FredicvsMaximvs
    02/18/09

    @Gary_7vn: Giant magnets in space!
     Reply
    FredicvsMaximvs was starred FredicvsMaximvs was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee
    02/18/09

    In reply to Satellite Collision Could Doom the Hubble Telescope
    Now can someone answer me this: If they are whizzing around at 17.5k MPH, and hit the Hubble traveling towards it at 5k, does that equal an impact of 22.5k? Is it more important how fast the debris is moving, or how fast Hubble is moving relative to it?
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee was starred GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee was unstarred
    Image of RyaninCalgary RyaninCalgary
    02/18/09

    @DTVTransitioned_GitEmSteveDave:


    If their both traveling in the same direction and hubbles traveling at 5000 MPH and the fragments are traveling at 17.5k when they hit they'll colide with a force of 12500 MPH. Considering bullets travel about a tenth that speed if they hit no matter how the hubbles screwed.

     Reply
    RyaninCalgary was starred RyaninCalgary was unstarred
    Image of lpranal lpranal
    02/18/09

    @RyaninCalgary: did you mean 22500? i'm assuming you did.


    Also it depends if it's a dead on collision (highly unlikely). In all probability only some of the vector is going to be applied to change in momentum (impulse), so the "brick wall equivalent" might actually end up being 12500 (depending on lots of variables). Hitting a brick wall at 12,500 still wouldn't be fun.

     Reply
    lpranal was starred lpranal was unstarred
    Image of FredicvsMaximvs FredicvsMaximvs
    02/18/09

    @lpranal: It would be 22,500 if they were traveling in opposite directions.
     Reply
    FredicvsMaximvs was starred FredicvsMaximvs was unstarred
    Image of Adnan Khan Adnan Khan
    02/18/09

    In reply to Satellite Collision Could Doom the Hubble Telescope
    It's a real shame that all it takes to make space missions dangerous for everyone are pieces of debris. What if a country such as North Korea decides to launch 5000 pieces of debris into space? That would significantly increase the danger for existing communications satellites. It would be a real mess if satellites started getting damaged especially internet, TV, and other such satellites.
     Reply
    Adnan Khan was starred Adnan Khan was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee
    02/18/09

    @Adnan Khan: @Adnan Khan: They would also likely impact their OWN satellites. Scorched Earth is not a likely scenario for space for any country/people, unless those Amish finally perfect their boosters during Rumspringa.
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee was starred GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee was unstarred
    Image of UrIt UrIt
    02/18/09

    In reply to Satellite Collision Could Doom the Hubble Telescope
    Where's MegaMaid when you need her
     Reply
    UrIt was starred UrIt was unstarred
    Image of TonyRockyHorror TonyRockyHorror
    02/18/09

    @UrIt: probably out sucking somewhere/one.
     Reply
    TonyRockyHorror was starred TonyRockyHorror was unstarred
    Image of ripfire ripfire
    02/18/09

    @TonyRockyHorror: Last I heard, she switched from suck to blow.
     Reply
    ripfire was starred ripfire was unstarred
    Image of ArtisticThought ArtisticThought
    02/18/09

    In reply to Satellite Collision Could Doom the Hubble Telescope
    We need some Vogons to come out to this part of the galaxy and bring one of their giant space vacuum cleaners. On second thought, they might decide a hyperspace bypass would fit rather well where Earth is. Yeah. Don't call them.
     Reply
    ArtisticThought was starred ArtisticThought was unstarred
    Image of Kaiser-Machead Kaiser-Machead
    02/18/09

    @Paint Swatch: I suppose um, one of us should shuttle over to the planning office on Alpha Centauri, yes?
     Reply
    Kaiser-Machead was starred Kaiser-Machead was unstarred
    Image of Kev50027 Kev50027
    02/18/09

    @Paint Swatch: If I can get this damn infinite improbability drive to work, I could go find some other aliens who are willing to help.. but I keep turning into a ball of twine..
     Reply
    Kev50027 was starred Kev50027 was unstarred
    Image of Selcouth14: + 28 Selcouth14: + 28
    02/18/09

    @Kev50027: Something something something poetry, something something something improbable.


    (This is like the 3rd or 4th Hitchhiker related comment I've had today...what the hell?)


    As for the Hubble: sad times; it has earned a better death then by satellite debris.

     Reply
    Selcouth14: + 28 was starred Selcouth14: + 28 was unstarred
    Image of Gann Gann
    02/18/09

    @Selcouth14: + 28: I agree. If we can't save it, we should nuke it before the debris hits.
     Reply
    Gann was starred Gann was unstarred
    Image of Craig Swenson Craig Swenson
    02/02/09

    In reply to NASA Wants You To Tell Them Where to Point the Hubble Space Telescope
    Sorry everyone, but photographing the footprints on the moon isn't possible. It's a simple matter of wave optics and calculating the maximum achievable resolution by the Hubble Telescope. Even assuming the astronauts that landed on the moon had ENORMOUS feet (say 0.5 meters, ~20 inches), the Hubble Telescope would need a 300x increase in its resolution to be able to discern a footprint on the surface of the moon. The same is true for the flag left on the moon, the "moon buggy" and other various parts left behind. Despite how much larger they are in comparison to a footprint their too small (or Hubble is too small, depending on your perspective) to have any chance or resolving them in a photograph.


    Source: I'm a Ph.D. student in Astronomy/Astrophysics.

     Reply
    Craig Swenson was starred Craig Swenson was unstarred
    Image of frigg frigg
    02/02/09

    @Craig Swenson: I don't believe resolution is the obstacle.
     Reply
    frigg was starred frigg was unstarred
    Image of Noah Mayer Noah Mayer
    02/01/09

    In reply to NASA Wants You To Tell Them Where to Point the Hubble Space Telescope
    Somewhere on earth would be fun, but highly improbable. I'd like some more images of Pluto.
     Reply
    Noah Mayer was starred Noah Mayer was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee
    02/01/09

    @Noah Mayer: Here ya go:
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee was starred GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee
    02/01/09

    In reply to NASA Wants You To Tell Them Where to Point the Hubble Space Telescope
    Given it's high resolution, can they take a picture of my chances of finding a GF? The chances are so small I figure I'd either need the Hubble or a tunneling Electron Microscope to see them.


    But serioulsy, can we shoot a planet with a Stargate? I want to see what a DHD and Chapa'hai really look like.

     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee was starred GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee was unstarred
    Image of 92BuickLeSabre 92BuickLeSabre
    02/01/09

    In reply to NASA Wants You To Tell Them Where to Point the Hubble Space Telescope
    ...but what about "Cute Blue-Skinned Girl's Window in the Apartment Across NGC 2787" ?


    Two birds, one stone, and so forth.

     Reply
    92BuickLeSabre was starred 92BuickLeSabre was unstarred
    Image of frigg frigg
    02/01/09

    In reply to NASA Wants You To Tell Them Where to Point the Hubble Space Telescope
    I believe the most requested Hubble image by the public is of the footprints on the moon, to prove once and for all that they exist.


    However, I've heard it's not technically possible for reasons ranging from orbital positioning (Hubble's orbit makes it impossible to train its cameras on the footprints) to light sensitivity (the footprints would be too bright for sensors designed to capture the dim light of distant stars).

     Reply
    frigg was starred frigg was unstarred
    Image of 92BuickLeSabre 92BuickLeSabre
    02/01/09

    @frigg: ...to impossibility (the footprints would be impossible to photograph since they don't exist.)
     Reply
    92BuickLeSabre was starred 92BuickLeSabre was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee
    02/01/09

    @frigg: That's why the government sent up a robot which went along and left "footprints".
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee was starred GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee was unstarred
    Image of IN THE FACE! IN THE FACE!
    10/31/08

    In reply to Hubble Resumes Operations, Sends Back Picture of Lost Starfox 64 Level
     Reply
    IN THE FACE! was starred IN THE FACE! was unstarred
    Image of IN THE FACE! IN THE FACE!
    10/31/08

    @bpapa9013: No one likes my obligatory in&out sight gag? Oh, well.


    Swing and a miss...

     Reply
    IN THE FACE! was starred IN THE FACE! was unstarred
    Image of Jrsy Devil's Advocate® Jrsy Devil's Advocate®
    10/31/08

    In reply to Hubble Resumes Operations, Sends Back Picture of Lost Starfox 64 Level
    Oh look, it's a cosmic BRoD (Blue Ring of Death)
     Reply
    Jrsy Devil's Advocate® was starred Jrsy Devil's Advocate® was unstarred
    Image of OMG! Ponies! OMG! Ponies!
    10/31/08

    In reply to Hubble Resumes Operations, Sends Back Picture of Lost Starfox 64 Level
    Am I the only one who sees a Firefox logo?
     Reply
    OMG! Ponies! was starred OMG! Ponies! was unstarred
    Image of strider_mt2k strider_mt2k
    10/31/08

    In reply to Hubble Resumes Operations, Sends Back Picture of Lost Starfox 64 Level
    Naaa, that's where the sprocket caught and the film burned through!
     Reply
    strider_mt2k was starred strider_mt2k was unstarred
    Image of lpranal lpranal
    10/31/08

    In reply to Hubble Resumes Operations, Sends Back Picture of Lost Starfox 64 Level
    Despite all the poetic musings about vastness, gravity, the nature of transience vs. the speed of light, I too am left with


    "dib-ba dibbadibba dibba! dibibibib dib dib"

    "daabadaaa blaabaa bla blaaaa blaaa"


    what? don't look at me like that, you totally know what I'm talking about.

     Reply
    lpranal was starred lpranal was unstarred
    Image of strider_mt2k strider_mt2k
    10/31/08

    @lpranal: According to Paul Simon:


    "...And I could say Oo oo oo,

    As if everybody knows

    What I'm talking about,

    As if everybody here would know

    Exactly what I was talking about"


    (Talking about diamonds on the soles of her shoes...)

     Reply
    strider_mt2k was starred strider_mt2k was unstarred
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