Two Satellites Could Collide over Pittsburgh on Wednesday Evening

So this is strange. Look at all of the things that just seem to be happening at once including a Direct TV satellite that may explode in space. Today, I now read an article on several different news sites about two other old satellites that may collide. So tell us why didn't the Space Shuttle ever pick them up? The article I attached here seems to be the most comprehensive and legitimate. So here's the link:

LeoLabs, Inc. @LeoLabs_Space · 19h Replying to @LeoLabs_Space 2/ On Jan 29 at 23:39:35 UTC, these two objects will pass close by one another at a relative velocity of 14.7 km/s (900km directly above Pittsburgh, PA). Our latest metrics on the event show a predicted miss distance of between 15-30 meters.

WPXI.com Pittsburgh

By: Matt Simmons Updated: January 28, 2020 - 10:29 AM PITTSBURGH — A company in California that tracks low earth orbit satellites and debris is warning of a potential collision that could happen Wednesday evening at 6:39 p.m., 560 miles over Pittsburgh. LeoLabs’ released the information Monday, which showed overlapping tracks between a decommissioned space telescope and an experimental government payload

The older satellite, known as GGSE-4, was launched in 1967 by the U.S. military from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. It is quite small and weighs only 10 pounds, but is reported to be attached to a larger satellite, only recently declassified, called Poppy 5. Poppy 5 has 18-meter-long booms and an additional weight of 187 pounds, according to astronomer Jonathan McDowell.

Heres another:

2 Satellites To Collide Above Pittsburgh

I need to get ahold of my cousin. Hes former Air Force who now works as a controller of specific satellites for an organization in Georgia. I don't know his job title but hes the guy with his hands on the "joy stick" to move a satellite in space and change its speed, etc.

I need to ask him WTF?

a reply to: Waterglass

Hope the weather clears! Thanks for the heads up

a reply to: Waterglass

It wouldn't be the first time.

Most people have no idea how many satellites - both operational and non-operational - are currently in orbit above.

It is a rare occurrence though.

Just make sure you have your football helmets on if you live in the area under the collision.

I doubt if we would be able to see them from where I live, but it would be great to see this happen. A free light show. Of course there could be falling debris but most would probably just burn up, not much souvenirs for people to find.

a reply to: Bigburgh

Get a good video.

Last August I was on my rear porch that faces South West at 4:30AM on a Saturday morning near Columbia, SC. as I could not sleep. I swore I almost saw two satellites collide in space and just before that a I witnessed a 3rd satellite that flashed as it seemed to use a thruster to get out of the way. The flash is how I noticed it and it happened about 10 seconds before the others appeared. I see satellites all the time down here. That guy who flashed had two solar panels that looked like a rectangular bow tie [isosceles trapezoid] , as the light generated by the flash made it visible for a second or two. He was headed North. I filed my sighting with The Back Vault. I never heard back from them.

a reply to: Waterglass

Jeez Louise, what next?!? It does seem like there are a lot of wacky things happening right now. When the doom porn-ish or unlikely alarmist talk starts, I've always been the one to be pragmatic and realistic. But S#!+ has gotten pretty crazy lately.

If you have a cousin who could help us to understand the likelihood of this satellite collision, the factors that created the conditions for it to happen, the possible consequences of said collision, and any other intelligent and informed info, plz post it back here in a reply! Firsthand info from a good, trustworthy source is very rare these days... Especially about stuff like this.

Interesting post friend, S&F. We look forward to any other info.

a reply to: Riffrafter

I can see a satellite practically every time I go outside at night. they are easy to spot and track. One does a SE heading NW flyby over Columbia, SC at 5:30AM EST daily. Now since the one hour time change its 4:30AM so I don't see it,

a reply to: M4nWithNoN4me

You want more weird. My other younger cuz who is that guys brother works as of this day in Air Force INTEL. He was ordered to clean up the Pentagon in 911 as in he picked up parts and pieces according to his dad, my uncle who also was in the Air Force. To this day my cuz will not say sheet about it

I will send the "joy" stick guy an email. But he also is always very tight lipped. But who knows.

originally posted by: M4nWithNoN4me
If you have a cousin who could help us to understand the likelihood of this satellite collision, the factors that created the conditions for it to happen, the possible consequences of said collision, and any other intelligent and informed info, plz post it back here in a reply!

If they are predicted to miss by 15-30m, that's not a collision but that's a possibility, if not it will be a close call.

Have you seen this image before? It shows the 22,000 objects in orbit that can be tracked from the ground, looks pretty crowded up there so I am not surprised by these near misses.

We're surrounded by SPACE JUNK: Incredible image reveals the disused rockets and abandoned satellites that orbit Earth

Based on a data archive, each miniature sphere in this image represents an existing object orbiting in space. There are around 22,000 objects in orbit that are big enough for officials on the ground to track

In the early days of satellites, there was no provision to "de-orbit" them or crash them back into earth after their service life was over. I think many satellites now launched have such de-orbiting capabilities to either bring them down or put them into a graveyard orbit for dead satellites. But we still have a lot of junk from the past which is the case for at least one of the two satellites mentioned in the OP dating back to 1967.

There are maybe 370,000 objects in orbit, some too small to be tracked from the ground. The Chinese created a big mess when they tested an anti-satellite weapon on one of their satellites creating many fragments of debris which could damage other satellites if they hit them, and the international community complained about that orbit pollution.

a reply to: Bigburgh

I live about 30 miles North of Pittsburgh. I'm getting out the binoculars, popping popcorn and putting some beer on ice. According to the weather it is supposed to clear up tomorrow.

originally posted by: JIMC5499
a reply to: Bigburgh
....and putting some beer on ice....

Pump an Ahrn!
- Fellow [displaced] Yinzer

originally posted by: JIMC5499
a reply to: Bigburgh

I live about 30 miles North of Pittsburgh. I'm getting out the binoculars, popping popcorn and putting some beer on ice. According to the weather it is supposed to clear up tomorrow.

Ray from kdka said cloudy I thought. I have night vision goggles, but even at 500+ miles up and clear skies, could be tricky.

Keeping fingers crossed.

a reply to: Waterglass

Had almost the same experience back in 2010. There was a satellite passing over around 10 at night in August, all the sudden there were 2 bright flashes and the projectile to go with from a fixed point in the sky going after the satellite. No explosion after the projectile took off, but what a sight. My dad whom is 15miles NW of me called the next day saying he saw the same thing i did.

a reply to: Soylent Green Is People



Ain't we all a bunch of Jag offs N @

a reply to: Soylent Green Is People

Iron City is pisswater.

well hopefully not an debris chain reaction to other sats...….

a reply to: Bigburgh

Well others here may blow us off but I know what I saw and I am sure you did too. It happens so fast that unless you have a live 24 /7 camera focused on a point in space no one will ever tape it.

a reply to: JIMC5499

Yes it is. You know what even worse; Labatt's Blue. They brew it in O Canada then ship it to a NON refrigerated warehouse in Buffalo, New York for several months until it smells like skunk piss. Then they sell it specifically at bars and strip joints. Hell its been that way for decades. Skunk piss.

Now Brador is all together a different level of beer.

Those flashes you are seeing are sun light reflecting off the satellite.
You cannot see thrusters firing. Most are cold gas anyway not burns.

a reply to: Arbitrageur

Damn and here I thought my KSP debris was bad lol.

I'm sure I've seen that before but thanks for a reminder.