http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/ Engadget Comments for Out of control satellite "weeks" away from slamming into Earth http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 11:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 12:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/
bloody hell.]]>Jan 27th 2008 12:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/
Don't worry. The government is arranging to have it replaced with the 'Satellite of Love'.]]>Jan 27th 2008 3:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 28th 2008 12:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 28th 2008 5:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 11:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 12:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 12:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 1:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 2:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 3:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/5,490,300,430,000,000 / 66,467,798,790 would come out to 1 in 82,000 chance of a person being hit by it haha. That's just how I see it - I'm probably way off.]]>Jan 27th 2008 3:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 4:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 11:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 11:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/
who they spying on?]]>Jan 27th 2008 11:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 11:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 1:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/
...

Did anyone else just hear that?]]>Jan 28th 2008 8:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 11:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/

if their satelite haddnt gone down that is.
]]>Jan 27th 2008 11:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/




"though they say they'd be just as happy to let the potentially radioactive / alien-filled hunk of metal crash into a small village in a developing country"

Who wouldn't?]]>Jan 27th 2008 12:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 4:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/
does that mean it doesn't matter if it falls on the head of someone in the developing world? how sick and indifferent can humans be]]>Jan 28th 2008 9:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/
"rasies two fingers at the atlantic"]]>Jan 27th 2008 11:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 28th 2008 4:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 11:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/It'll probably fall on canada again, america likes to drop things on canada.
]]>Jan 27th 2008 12:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 1:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 12:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 12:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/
noting your avatar, are you a DFer?]]>Jan 28th 2008 12:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/
I am infact a member of DF. ]]>Jan 28th 2008 1:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 12:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 12:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 12:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 12:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 28th 2008 9:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 12:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 12:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/
I don't see what all the fuss is about, this is the standard (and ONLY) method for disposal of an Earth-orbiting satellite. ]]>Jan 27th 2008 12:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/
Satellites slowly loose altitude while in orbit, as they are pulled toward the earth by earth's gravity. They need to be occasionally "pushed" upwards using thrusters to keep them from ultimately re-entering earth orbit. The same is true for the MIR and ISS space stations.

This "falling to earth" happens if the satellite is not moving fast enough to escape earth's gravity: the speed of satellites is carefully calibrated to keep them from either "falling" on earth or escaping into outer space. Speed and altitude are adjusted using thrusters, which require fuel: if fuel runs out (or the thrusters break) the satellite will inevitably fall to earth, even though that might take weeks or months.

If an object is moving TOO fast, is will slowly get further and further away from earth. This for example seems to be happening to the moon, which is moving just fast enough to get about 1.5 inches further away from the earth every year (http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=124)

Andrea]]>Jan 27th 2008 12:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/
Apparently the reason the moon is getting farther from the earth has to do with earth tides, not speed.

Nevermind me :)]]>Jan 27th 2008 12:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 1:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/
Without outside forces (like the atmosphere, the sun, gravitational attraction of passing comets, etc.) satellites could remain in orbit indefinitely. But that isn't the case.]]>Jan 28th 2008 4:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 12:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 12:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 1:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/27/out-of-control-satellite-weeks-away-from-slamming-into-earth/Jan 27th 2008 1:18PM