you here what happended last night ?

[evangilder]

There is always a risk of something sensitive getting out, and I think that was one of the concerns. But there was about 100 gallons, not pounds, of hydrazine on board, and that would cause some damage.

Hydrazine is highly toxic and dangerously unstable, especially in the anhydrous form. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:

Symptoms of acute (short-term) exposure to high levels of hydrazine may include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, dizziness, headache, nausea, pulmonary edema, seizures, coma in humans. Acute exposure can also damage the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system. The liquid is corrosive and may produce dermatitis from skin contact in humans and animals. Effects to the lungs, liver, spleen, and thyroid have been reported in animals chronically exposed to hydrazine via inhalation. Increased incidences of lung, nasal cavity, and liver tumors have been observed in rodents exposed to hydrazine.[17]

Now imagine that coming down into an area of a country that we are not on good terms with, or maybe we are. It could be speculated that the satellite was deliberately aimed there. Likely? No, but that wouldn't stop propagandists and conspiracy nuts from coming up with something.

The are of contamination would be about 2 football fields. Landing in the middle of the desert somewhere would be no big deal, but what if it landed in the middle of say, downtown Los Angeles?

[Bernhart]

agree with SOd stitch, figure it was agreat way to show that they can hit satellites while in space.

[Evil_Merlin]

Originally Posted by SoD Stitch

Moving on, how many people here (besides me) suspect there was more to this than the government let on? According to several experts, the actual hazard the satellite posed to humanity with it's 100 lbs. or so of hydrazine on-board was extremely small; even assuming it came down in a relatively populated area (highly unlikely to begin with), it would not have posed a serious health risk to anybody, unless it hit them on the head. My guess is the US Gov't wanted to show the world (especially China) in a very public way that we have the means of taking out any satellite of our choosing.
.

As was said before its not 100lbs of hydrazine, its half a TON of hydrazine.


Anyways, people, stop believing the liberal media. Thats what they want you to think, in reality, both the Russians and the Chinese know that the US has had the ability to run ASAT missions since the introduction of the ASM-135 in 1984 (almost 15 years ago). In 1985 the ASM-135 was launched by an F-15 and competely destroyed the P78-1 Solwind sat, showing without a doubt that the US could easily take a sat out of its choosing a long time ago.

[SoD Stitch]

Originally Posted by evangilder

There is always a risk of something sensitive getting out, and I think that was one of the concerns. But there was about 100 gallons, not pounds, of hydrazine on board, and that would cause some damage.

I stand corrected on my facts (or lack thereof!). Obviously, I misheard (or mis-remembered; more likely at my advanced age!) the "100 gallons" as "100 lbs."; my mistake . . . . but I still think there's more behind it than simply "interest for the public's safety". As I said, the chances of it actually coming down in a populated area were extremely remote to begin with. I guess we'll never know the truth . . . .

[wilbur1]

Originally Posted by Evil_Merlin

As was said before its not 100lbs of hydrazine, its half a TON of hydrazine.


Anyways, people, stop believing the liberal media. Thats what they want you to think, in reality, both the Russians and the Chinese know that the US has had the ability to run ASAT missions since the introduction of the ASM-135 in 1984 (almost 15 years ago). In 1985 the ASM-135 was launched by an F-15 and competely destroyed the P78-1 Solwind sat, showing without a doubt that the US could easily take a sat out of its choosing a long time ago.

Merlin you think like i do it was 24 years ago you old fart!

[Evil_Merlin]

Oh damn it is almost 24 years ago. I guess I'm trying to block it out... I am getting old.

[wilbur1]

I know, i had to think about it too frekin years

[Elvis]

Originally Posted by DBII

I'm surprised that Green Peace did not Muck it Up with a lawyer.

DBII

LOL!

Probably couldn't figure out how to float their kayaks into outer space!






Elvis

[insomnia]

Originally Posted by evangilder

There is always a risk of something sensitive getting out, and I think that was one of the concerns. But there was about 100 gallons, not pounds, of hydrazine on board, and that would cause some damage.


Now imagine that coming down into an area of a country that we are not on good terms with, or maybe we are. It could be speculated that the satellite was deliberately aimed there. Likely? No, but that wouldn't stop propagandists and conspiracy nuts from coming up with something.

The are of contamination would be about 2 football fields. Landing in the middle of the desert somewhere would be no big deal, but what if it landed in the middle of say, downtown Los Angeles?

yet those of us in the USAF get dumped on and they give less than a **** about us... in fact about 15-20 people in my unit alone this past year (including myself).

Didn't even get the rest of my shift off and ended up coughing for the next few days.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by SoD Stitch

Yes, I would guess it was quite the opposite; compared to the cold of the space surrounding it, it would seem the satellite was a relatively "warm" target, comparatively speaking. Even a "dead" satellite would radiate more heat than the empty space surrounding it.

Exactly I was going to explain the same thing to him.

[evangilder]

Originally Posted by insomnia

yet those of us in the USAF get dumped on and they give less than a **** about us... in fact about 15-20 people in my unit alone this past year (including myself).

Didn't even get the rest of my shift off and ended up coughing for the next few days.

Sadly, some things never change.

[fly boy]

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

Explain how the SAT is cold.

the sat was in orbit about may be 56miles above us

[Evil_Merlin]

Originally Posted by fly boy

the sat was in orbit about may be 56miles above us

It most assuredly doesn't mean it was cold, especially to a IR seeking warhead...

Cold to us humans? Sure. Cold to a warhead designed to track heat radiation? Not even close.

Mind you the SM-3 used more than IR guidance to get it's now confirmed kill.

[kool kitty89]

I would expect that the Highly volitile (and quite flamable) hydrazine would be burned-up (or at least evaporated) along with the salellite on reentery.

A side note: Hydrazine Hydrate was a major component of C-Stoff fuel (the rest being methanol) used in the Me 163 along with T-Stoff (80% Hydrogen Peroxide) the T-stoff being more corrosive and harmful to contact and the C-stoff more toxic and volitile. (in terms of vaporization)

[brickhistory]

No, it HAS to be a conspiracy.

There is no earthly (pun intended) reason that the US Government would take the precaution of letting 1000lbs of hydrazine in a pretty strong tank land on either the US or a foreign country.

Nope, they'd much rather take a chance, no matter how remote, that the thing and stuff would land harmlessly in either the water or the middle of nowhere (where the environmental damage would be significant as the casing ruptured going from mach 6 to 0 in a millisecond) than LA, Honolulu, or Sydney.

Jeez, some of the conspiracy nuts in the world just grate. News flash - BIG pieces of the Shuttle Columbia came down intact including, guess what? That's right, folks, fuel tanks for some of the OMS and manuevering thrusters.

Just a thought; if it were a test, why announce it? The Chinese that we'd want to know that we had the same capability to knock out satellites as did the PRC would know if we shot one down. Why risk the bad press in the event such a shot went amiss?

Jeez, go find Jimmy Hoffa or Amelia Earhart or the like. Let the facts on this one just be the facts............