UK Shuttle Clan - 9/2/2006 8:33 AMGeostationary. Those are the ones that go 28,000 miles away and circle with the Earth's rotation?
vt_hokie - 6/3/2006 12:32 AMSpace debris is a growing problem with serious long term implications. I have to wonder to what extent it will threaten the industry and demand better solutions over the coming decades.
Jim - 6/3/2006 11:12 AMAll FAA licensed launched must have a disposal plan and for GEO sats, that includes fuel saved to boost them into a disposal orbit, which is super synchronous.
vt_hokie - 6/3/2006 12:01 PMQuoteJim - 6/3/2006 11:12 AMAll FAA licensed launched must have a disposal plan and for GEO sats, that includes fuel saved to boost them into a disposal orbit, which is super synchronous.Yes, I realize this. However, I think the disposal orbit is generally about 300 km beyond geostationary altitude, and there's a lot of crap accumulating out there! Also, when geostationary satellites experience sudden failures, they never get a chance to make it into that disposal orbit.
Avron - 6/3/2006 10:49 PMQuotevt_hokie - 6/3/2006 12:01 PMQuoteJim - 6/3/2006 11:12 AMAll FAA licensed launched must have a disposal plan and for GEO sats, that includes fuel saved to boost them into a disposal orbit, which is super synchronous.Yes, I realize this. However, I think the disposal orbit is generally about 300 km beyond geostationary altitude, and there's a lot of crap accumulating out there! Also, when geostationary satellites experience sudden failures, they never get a chance to make it into that disposal orbit. Would it not decay from super synchronous orbit, and take out a good bird?
vt_hokie - 6/3/2006 12:01 PMHowever, I think the disposal orbit is generally about 300 km beyond geostationary altitude, and there's a lot of crap accumulating out there!
vt_hokie - 7/3/2006 8:11 AMThe orbits will decay, but I think it'll be several hundred years at least until the GEO stuff comes down.
Jim - 7/3/2006 9:45 AMThey never come down. They go out if anything.
Jim - 7/3/2006 6:17 AMQuoteAvron - 6/3/2006 10:49 PMQuotevt_hokie - 6/3/2006 12:01 PMQuoteJim - 6/3/2006 11:12 AMAll FAA licensed launched must have a disposal plan and for GEO sats, that includes fuel saved to boost them into a disposal orbit, which is super synchronous.Yes, I realize this. However, I think the disposal orbit is generally about 300 km beyond geostationary altitude, and there's a lot of crap accumulating out there! Also, when geostationary satellites experience sudden failures, they never get a chance to make it into that disposal orbit. Would it not decay from super synchronous orbit, and take out a good bird?Why would it decay. GEO sats don't decay. only LEO sats because they are "low earth orbit", close to the atmosphere.
vt_hokie - 8/3/2006 3:05 PMHere's something sort of close to what I was looking for that came up in a search:Geostationary orbit decay and geostationary orbit crowdingThe problem of a possible satellite collision due to the geostationary orbit decay is examined in view of the increasing number of geostationary satellites and the hazard of in-orbit exhaustion of fuel. A number of orbital decay mechanisms are outlined, among them electromagnetic drag on a charged satellite, meteorite and micrometeorite collisions, and solar radiation pressure. It is suggested that a geostationary satellite be boosted up to an altitude of 100-150 km prior to the expected exhaustion of fuel, which will delay the problem by about 500 years.