I Spy A Satellite!

Shes not very familiar with aircraft.

Is it true NASA still operate one or two SR-71's???

Originally posted by MickeyDee
Shes not very familiar with aircraft.

Is it true NASA still operate one or two SR-71's???

They had 2 on loan from the Air Force...But have since both been retired, the last one flew October 1999.

They had 2 on loan from the Air Force...But have since both been retired, the last one flew October 1999

So it wasnt one of them then!

It is possible to view the iss with a very good telescope and tracking system. Check the picture below, taken with a 12 inch meade SCT. Now this is not exactly what was seen, as the pic is a combination of 20 video frames, but you get the idea...







[edit on 5-3-2005 by sensfan]

[edit on 5-3-2005 by sensfan]

Erm, the solar panals on the Hubble are blue. They do make brown ones, but they're not efficient enough for spacecraft.

But to add to the thread, you can't really see any detail in any sattelite without a good telescope with a very accurate tracking system.

[edit on 3/6/2005 by diehard_democrat]

Originally posted by Jehosephat
I wish there was a way you could track it and figure out what the sattilite was for.

Try www.heavens-above.com...

You put in your location and it tells you what satellites, rocket stages, and other space debris will be visible. It has the time, magnitude, and direction of transit, as well as a star map of where it will be visible.

I've used it to identify a strange light that appeared to be "following" an aircraft as a Russian rocket booster.