Reports of Iranian Fajr satellite explosion deeply concerning. Could trigger
a Kessler Syndrome depending on orbit.
Conflict News (@rConflictNews) | Twitter
"The
Kessler syndrome (also called the
Kessler effect,
[1][2] collisional cascading or
ablation cascade), proposed by the
NASA scientist
Donald J. Kessler in 1978, is a scenario in which the density of objects in
low Earth orbit (LEO) is high enough that collisions between objects could cause a cascade—each collision generating
space debris which increases the likelihood of further collisions. One implication is that the distribution of debris in orbit could render
space exploration, and even the use of
satellites, unfeasible for many generations.
The Kessler syndrome is especially insidious because of the "domino effect" and "feedback runaway" wherein impacts between objects of sizable mass spalls off debris from the force of collision. The shrapnel can then hit other objects, creating even more space debris: if a large enough collision or explosion were to occur, such as between a space station and a defunct satellite, or as the result of hostile actions in space, then the resulting debris cascade could render low Earth orbit essentially impassable."
Kessler syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
10:39AM GMT 02 Mar 2015
US military satellite explodes above Earth
A US military satellite exploded after detecting an unexplained “sudden spike in temperature”, sending dozens of chunks of debris tumbling into different orbits around Earth
Civilian company CelesTrak was first to notice the explosion of the once-secret weather satellite and the US Air Force subsequently confirmed that it had been lost.
The satellite was an ageing component of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program which the US military began developing the in the 1960s to help plan reconnaissance and surveillance missions.
In 1972 the system was declassified, and data made available to civilian scientists.
The lost satellite was the 13th to be launched as part of DMSP, designated DMSP-F13, and had been in Earth orbit since 1995.
Air Force Space Command confirmed to
SpaceNews.com that the “catastrophic event” came after “a sudden spike in temperature” was detected, followed by “an unrecoverable loss of attitude control”.
While operators were deciding how to “render the vehicle safe” they detected a debris cloud which indicated that the satellite had been destroyed.
The explosion has caused at least 43 pieces of debris to scatter into orbit, which are now being tracked by the US Air Force.
Air Force Col. John Giles, the Joint Space Operations Center’s director, told SpaceNews.com: “While the initial response is complete, JSpOC personnel will continue to assess this event to learn more about what happened and what it will mean for users within this orbit."
Due to the age of DMSP-F13 it was no longer a critical part of the network, and the US government expects that its loss will cause only a “slight reduction” in real-time weather data.
US military satellite explodes above Earth - Telegraph
This is the latest of what I have found, no link between the two events...yet!?
