German Satellite Almost Crashed into Beijing

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,812297,00.html

01/30/2012

'Directly in its Path'

German Satellite Almost Crashed into Beijing

By Christian Schwägerl

Last October, the German research satellite Rosat plunged into the Bay of Bengal, more than 20 years after it had been launched into orbit. But had it remained aloft for just seven more minutes, it would have landed in Beijing instead, new calculations show.

It was a proud day for German science when, on June 1, 1990, Rosat was launched into orbit from Cape Canaveral. The research satellite was chock full of the most modern technology available, allowing scientists the ability to search the skies for the source of X-ray radiation for the first time.

Rosat didn't disappoint. Originally, it was to remain in operation for 18 months, but ultimately in collected data for almost nine years. The satellite registered tens of thousands of radiation sources, which included distant galaxies and black holes.

In the end, though, Rosat nearly caused what would have been among the worst catastrophes in the history of space exploration. In the night from Oct. 22 to 23 last year, the defunct satellite fell to Earth -- just barely missing the Chinese capital Beijing, population 20 million. According to calculations by the European Space Agency, satellite fragments, travelling at speeds of some 450 kilometers per hour, came perilously close to crashing into the city.

[jberryhill]

1. In other words....

It would have hit Beijing if it hit Beijing, but it didn't because it didn't.

One less beer and I would have hit the dart board instead of the wall it was hanging on.

[DonRedwood]

2. or one more beer

I find I play much better darts the more beers I have.

[jberryhill]

3. And, you get better looking!

[zoechen]

4. Satellites

Thats 3 of them in about a year.

1 German Satellite
1 Russian Satellite
1 U.S. Satellite

Plus, all the junk that floats around in orbit. The Chinese tested an anti-satellite weapon, all that debris is still in orbit.

Near as I can tell the U.S. has knocked down 2.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/news/orbital_debris.html


Edit to clarify timeline.