China Rocket to Make Uncontrolled Re-Entry

[at6]

Last check indicates that rocket came down near the Maldives. No more sitting outside waiting for re-entry.

 

[MIflyer]

With our Delta 2900 and 3900 series boosters it was standard practice to uplink a command to have the 2nd stage perform a burn of its remaining propellants to deorbit the stage as it passed HI.

Back in the 90's Arianespace asked the USAF to provide tracking info on an upper stage that had shown some anomalies. The Air Force took a look and responded that there was no stage in that orbit, just a stream of debris. Arianespace then realized that the upper stages were all exploding after the payload separated and made modifications to prevent that. In the meantime the debris in that orbit had been increased by several thousand percent as a result.

We tried to form an organization with an analysis capability to be able to determine if an operation was going to cause space debris back in the late 1980's but there was too much opposition to it within the USAF.

 

[nuuumannn]

It is just modern anti China politics that I dont want to get involved in.

Fully understand, but I think you might be misunderstanding my intent here - it certainly isn't engaging in anti-Chinese politics at all, it is merely stating that a rocket stage can be controlled on re-entry, but the Chinese rocket building agency chooses not to for whatever reason, possibly due to cost. NASA and other rocketry personnel have recently accused the Chinese of being irresponsible in allowing their rocket stages to fall uncontrolled into the atmosphere.

NASA, experts criticise China for uncontrolled re-entry of rocket to Earth (news.com.au)

Last check indicates that rocket came down near the Maldives. No more sitting outside waiting for re-entry.

Yeah, dangit, was hoping to collect bits and sell'em on ebay...

 

[at6]

Maybe can get some from the next launch.

 

[Peter Gunn]

So glad to know that's what you think. As it happens, living in Houston and having friends in Clear Lake where NASA is, I get to talk to people who actually do orbital mechanics, as it's called, for a living. They think you're wrong. I'm more inclined to think they're right than you, although you're certainly entitled to your apparently heart felt opinion. They think the Chinese are fully capable of doing this, but just don't care and won't spend the monwy. You know, ruthless. Like in Hong Kong. Why are you making excuses for a muderous, even genocidal, totalitarian dictatorship?

Too bad no one here has worked or is working in the (aviation/aerospace/engineering/military/insert similar category) field or has friends/relatives that do so or ancestors (like fathers/uncles/cousins) that actually served in WWII and flew some of the aircraft we discuss here (and published books on same) so they could be an expert as well...

Also, arrogant condescension is not the way to get on anyone's good side, least of all mine.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Too bad no one here has worked or is working in the (aviation/aerospace/engineering/military/insert similar category) field or has friends/relatives that do so or ancestors (like fathers/uncles/cousins) that actually served in WWII and flew some of the aircraft we discuss here (and published books on same) so they could be an expert as well...

Also, arrogant condescension is not the way to get on anyone's good side, least of all mine.

I bet my buddy who is an Aerospace Engineer (and astronaut candidate) in Houston at NASA would love this conversation.

Until then, I will low crawl back to my measly earthly aircraft modification, engineering job. We are just a bunch of fanboys remember?