DUARS Satellite Re-Entry: Impressive Light Show & Potential Debris Threat

In summary, the UARS satellite is expected to enter the Earth's atmosphere this weekend, sooner than originally predicted by NASA. While the exact trajectory is still uncertain, it is estimated that anyone in the vicinity of the satellite's return will witness an impressive light show. However, there is a 1 in 3200 chance of being hit by debris from the satellite, made of titanium, aluminum, steel, and beryllium, which weighs around 1,170 pounds. This probability is not specific to individuals, but rather the chances that at least one person somewhere on the planet will be hit, given the current uncertainty. As the satellite's strike zone shrinks over the next few days, the probability will rise for those still within
  • #36
rhody said:
Evil penguin,

Seriously Evo, with your track history, this could be very very very bad, if I could take a direct head on bird strike to the top of a helmet (I am not unlucky), this has, can you say, "Echhh" written all over it.


A one to two pound bird traveling at 50 mph is one thing, but a chunk of satellite with Evo's name on it is a totally different matter. My suggestion, find a neighbor with a concrete reinforced safe room, play cards, talk, have a psychic reading for God sakes. I vote we duct tape Pengy to a chair in Evo's apartment and leave him there till the debris field passes, and oh yeah, stuff a dead smelly fish in his beak. That visual is simply stunning, I outdid myself this time guys.

Rhody... :-p
:smile:
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #37
Evo said:
:smile:
Evo,

According to the news report you posted, they won't know for sure till about two hours beforehand when and where the debris field will be spread. They say sometime next Saturday. I say go north or due west, but don't forget to leave Pengy with water, he will need it to wash that nasty fish smell away !

Rhody... :approve: :smile: I haven't had this much fun in weeks, thanks for this thread. Evil Bird...
 
  • #38
The way that sucker is tumbling, there is no way to know when and where it will come down. It's not like NASA has any control, even attitude-jets or gyros, to massage this. It comes down where it comes down. BTW, if some of it comes down on your property, you have to inform federal authorities and NOT TOUCH any bit of it. Even if killed your granny, the federal government owns all of the "bus" and you will be prosecuted if you try to sell a little piece of it.
 
  • #39
I'm getting that Cold War vibe again, but not from the Russkies.
 
  • #40
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #41
Evo, I just called someone I know who knows a few people. Don't say a thing, we never talked, don't worry it's all set. Sleep well.
 
  • #42
Wait this thread has 308 views and 40 replies in 2 hours, that HAS to be some kind of PF record.

BobG since you seem to have a knack for this sort of thing, could you look into this ?

It smells like some kind of a winner to me.

Rhody...
 
  • #43
Chi Meson said:
Evo, I just called someone I know who knows a few people. Don't say a thing, we never talked, don't worry it's all set. Sleep well.
o:) I can trust Chi.

I hope he's not referring to my wish to die in my sleep. :rolleyes:
 
  • #44
Evo, you need to be aggressive in fending this off. Put on your welding helmet, grab your chainsaw, and climb onto the roof of your apartment. When you see the glowing light approaching, fire up the chainsaw and let out a mighty roar. Scare that sucker away! :mad:
 
  • #45
berkeman said:
Evo, you need to be aggressive in fending this off. Put on your welding helmet, grab your chainsaw, and climb onto the roof of your apartment. When you see the glowing light approaching, fire up the chainsaw and let out a mighty roar. Scare that sucker away! :mad:
:smile:
 
  • #46
berkeman said:
Evo, you need to be aggressive in fending this off. Put on your welding helmet, grab your chainsaw, and climb onto the roof of your apartment. When you see the glowing light approaching, fire up the chainsaw and let out a mighty roar. Scare that sucker away! :mad:
Ladders, roofs. chainsaws, helmets...

I see a few opportunities for Evo-death here. Are you angling for an appointment to GD? Just asking...
 
  • #47
Wait a minute...don't you have a padded asbestos suit, Evo?
 
  • #48
rhody said:
Wait this thread has 308 views and 40 replies in 2 hours, that HAS to be some kind of PF record.

BobG since you seem to have a knack for this sort of thing, could you look into this ?

It smells like some kind of a winner to me.

Rhody...

That's because everyone thought Evo was leaving or dying or worse!

Personally, if I found a piece of the satellite, I'd be inclined to keep it...

How come no one can do the math to find out exactly when/where it will re-enter? Isn't that what math is for? Why am I studying it if it has no practical application? Does it only work in textbooks designed to torture students on false pretenses for years on end?
 
  • #49
lisab said:
Wait a minute...don't you have a padded asbestos suit, Evo?
No, Kurdt never finished it. :frown:
 
  • #50
lisab said:
Wait a minute...don't you have a padded asbestos suit, Evo?
I tried to lure you to Maine to work at the University of Maine at Orono's materials lab. You might to be killed by the Evo-magnet. Hope not, but you chose your own bed... Any songs that you would like me to play after your demise?
 
  • #51
I recommend waiting it out in a ball pit at a Chuck E Cheese. Or a bouncy house. That sounds safe. Reminds me of the elementary school "egg drop" experiments. Try packing an egg and then dropping it off your roof. Which ever egg survives the greatest fall, pack yourself like that for the day.
 
  • #52
ArcanaNoir said:
I recommend waiting it out in a ball pit at a Chuck E Cheese.
I'm much more afraid of what is in a Chuck E. Cheese ball pit.
 
  • #53
OMG. If today hasn't been bad enough, I come here for some peace and find this thread. Thanks a lot Evo. :mad:
 
  • #54
ArcanaNoir said:
How come no one can do the math to find out exactly when/where it will re-enter? Isn't that what math is for? Why am I studying it if it has no practical application? Does it only work in textbooks designed to torture students on false pretenses for years on end?

Unfortunately, the Evo Effect has defied all attempt at mathematical analysis.
 
  • #55
ArcanaNoir said:
I recommend waiting it out in a ball pit at a Chuck E Cheese. Or a bouncy house. That sounds safe. Reminds me of the elementary school "egg drop" experiments. Try packing an egg and then dropping it off your roof. Which ever egg survives the greatest fall, pack yourself like that for the day.

No! Not a mere ball pit nor bouncy house! Our beloved goddess Evo needs a mountain to shield her from this falling refuse of Armageddon! Hide behind Mt. Sunflower Evo! Run! Don't walk! Run!
 
  • #56
Remember, as all that titanium and beryllium is crashing all around you, that you can't control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude. Get out your ban gun and let it have it with both barrels. Get out your dictionary and find out what the heck beryllium is.
 
  • #57
That's a 1 in 3200 chance that someone somewhere in the world will be hit by the debris.
Now take that fraction and divide by the world population. Not quite so scarey.
 
  • #58
OmCheeto said:
No! Not a mere ball pit nor bouncy house! Our beloved goddess Evo needs a mountain to shield her from this falling refuse of Armageddon! Hide behind Mt. Sunflower Evo! Run! Don't walk! Run!
I fear that Mt. Sunflower will be ground zero.
 
  • #59
jambaugh said:
That's a 1 in 3200 chance that someone somewhere in the world will be hit by the debris.
Now take that fraction and divide by the world population. Not quite so scarey.
Wait...

Oh never mind. We're not in the Quantum Physics forum. :biggrin:
 
  • #60
dlgoff said:
OMG. If today hasn't been bad enough, I come here for some peace and find this thread. Thanks a lot Evo. :mad:
Oooops.

Janus said:
Unfortunately, the Evo Effect has defied all attempt at mathematical analysis.
:eek:

OmCheeto said:
No! Not a mere ball pit nor bouncy house! Our beloved goddess Evo needs a mountain to shield her from this falling refuse of Armageddon! Hide behind Mt. Sunflower Evo! Run! Don't walk! Run!
OM, watch the video, it's coming directly over you too!
 
  • #61
jambaugh said:
That's a 1 in 3200 chance that someone somewhere in the world will be hit by the debris.
Now take that fraction and divide by the world population. Not quite so scarey.
Well, if you are one of the lucky ones to see the debris fall, your chances of being hit are 1 in 3,200. So, I plan to gather 3,200 other people and I'll be the 3,201st, therefor...SAFE!.
 
  • #62
Don't... you... ever... make a thread with that title ever again... :mad:
 
  • #63
micromass said:
Don't... you... ever... make a thread with that title ever again... :mad:
really sorry

So 2 hours notice if you are in the fallout area. They said it could happen Friday morning. Give or take a day. Who's going to watch for the alert?

Om, Char and lisab need not worry, the debris will go right over them and make a beeline for me. Unfortunately, dlgoff lives near me...
 
Last edited:
  • #64
Evo said:
Well, if you are one of the lucky ones to see the debris fall, your chances of being hit are 1 in 3,200. So, I plan to gather 3,200 other people and I'll be the 3,201st, therefor...SAFE!.
I feel much better now. Thanks Evo. :!)
 
  • #65
Evo said:
really sorry

So 2 hours notice if you are in the fallout area. They said it could happen Friday morning. Give or take a day. Who's going to watch for the alert?

Om, Char and lisab need not worry, the debris will go right over them and make a beeline for me. Unfortunately, dlgoff lives near me...

No! What of Roger and Mabel?!

Find a mountain! Quickly!
 
  • #66
...the expected landing zone covers around 500 miles stretching from Northern Canada to the southern end of South America.
I was away for two weeks.

Did the Earth shrink dramatically while I was gone??



P.S. Anyone have a map of the proposed impact ellipse?
 
  • #67

Attachments

  • cat tin_foil.jpg
    cat tin_foil.jpg
    62.4 KB · Views: 291
  • #68
Lol, Evo on friday:
evoonfriday.jpg


Taken from the attachment.
 

Attachments

  • lol.jpg
    lol.jpg
    51.5 KB · Views: 375
  • #69
Engineers have quietly said in the past that falling space junk is more of a public relations problem than an actual threat. We think of ourselves as living on a crowded planet, they say, but it's perhaps surprising how much elbow room there is.
See, it's only a public relations problem rather than an actual threat, i.e., it's not like congress. :biggrin:
 
  • #70
KrisOhn said:
Lol, Evo on friday:
evoonfriday.jpg


Taken from the attachment.
I like that! That really captures Evo.
 

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top