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FEMA Prepared for Dead NASA Satellite's Plunge to Earth

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posted on Sep, 22 2011 @ 01:36 PM
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Kinetic energy = 1/2 x mass x velocity squared.. A satellite drops out of orbit when slower than 17,000 mph. Probably slows to 10,000 mph before impact. 10,000 squared is a big number. If this hits us, it should make a crater about 50m to 100m wide based on the size of meteor crater.

By comparison, meteor crater in AZ is a mile wide and the meteor is predicted to be 50 meters in diameter.

If the crater from this satellite is any bigger, its not a satellite.



posted on Sep, 22 2011 @ 04:22 PM
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Originally posted by consciousgod
Kinetic energy = 1/2 x mass x velocity squared.. A satellite drops out of orbit when slower than 17,000 mph. Probably slows to 10,000 mph before impact. 10,000 squared is a big number. If this hits us, it should make a crater about 50m to 100m wide based on the size of meteor crater.

By comparison, meteor crater in AZ is a mile wide and the meteor is predicted to be 50 meters in diameter.

If the crater from this satellite is any bigger, its not a satellite.


This is a decaying orbit; it is taking the long way through the atmosphere. It is not going to have much energy left.
This is a satellite; it is not made of hard rock and iron.
I don't think any Shuttle debris, or Skylab debris, or Mir debris was described as having left an "impact crater."

I think the idea is something like a motorcycle engine falling from a high building is closer to what to expect than the extinction level event some are imagining.



posted on Sep, 22 2011 @ 05:28 PM
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reply to post by consciousgod
 

The largest piece of debris will weight 158 kg and hit the ground at 44.02m/s (its terminal velocity through the atmosphere). That yields bout 153 kJ. That's the equivalent of about 1 ounce of TNT, and less than 1/10 of a stick of dynamite.

It might make an impression in the ground but it won't make a crater.
www.nasa.gov...

edit on 9/22/2011 by Phage because: (no reason given)



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