"Thing" flies close to the International Space Station.

[Thebobo]

Folks are calling it a washing machine, suitcase, TV ect, but this flew by the ISS earlier. Surprised they didn't take evasive maneuvers but I guess they had this satellite tracking locked down. Pretty scary something this large flying this close uncontrolled. Be sure to check out the article, it has video of the satellite passing by the ISS. Yes its RT but its a non political story. Wonder who's and what satellite it is.

Video inside --> https://www.rt.com/news/430431-space-satellite-video-iss/

 

[lxskllr]

Looks like some of the stuff I have in the basement. I wonder if all my treasures are accounted for? :^/

 

[Fir]

Meh, it's just space junk. Nothing unusual about it aside from the fact that it raises concern for safety of those working up there!

 

[DietDrThunder]

Frak, I was wondering where I left my spare power supply.

 

[Humpy]

They just sat there and let it fly by?

Someone should have suited up and grabbed it or given it a good swift kick out of orbit.

 

[DietDrThunder]

They just sat there and let it fly by?

Someone should have suited up and grabbed it or given it a good swift kick out of orbit.

Remember, they are in space. If you would have suited up and grabbed it, the impact would probably kill you in one or more ways. This is traveling at a high velocity. If it didn't just rip your suite, or crush you on impact, you'd go tumbling uncontrollably away from the ISS, and would be no longer recoverable. So, if you weren't already dead, you'd rather quickly be out of range of the ISS and die from lack of oxygen.

Giving it a quick boot would have similar issues. You'd probably rip the boot, have a crushed foot, lose pressure in your suite, and again tumble away from the ISS. So again, you'd basically die.

You'll learn all of this when you go through zero gravity training at Jupiter Station.

Also, if it had been traveling close enough to the ISS for the ISS's robot arm to grab it, the robot arm would probably break off or be heavily damaged, and the ISS would start spinning. Then the ISS would have to expend a lot of propellant to re-orient itself and stop the spin. When you see SpaceX's Dragon capsule being captured by the robot arm, this has been after a couple of days of the capsule matching the ISS's orbit, orientation, and velocity before they attempt to clamp on.

 

[Humpy]

Remember, they are in space. If you would have suited up and grabbed it, the impact would probably kill you in one or more ways. This is traveling at a high velocity. If it didn't just rip your suite, or crush you on impact, you'd go tumbling uncontrollably away from the ISS, and would be no longer recoverable. So, if you weren't already dead, you'd rather quickly be out of range of the ISS and die from lack of oxygen.

Giving it a quick boot would have similar issues. You'd probably rip the boot, have a crushed foot, lose pressure in your suite, and again tumble away from the ISS. So again, you'd basically die.

You'll learn all of this when you go through zero gravity training at Jupiter Station.

I said someone, not me.

In space I play the role of the overly confident idea man who at first loses the trust of his crew by sending the rookie out to kick space junk out of orbit but while doing so she cuts her boot and floats off but I regain trust and admiration by staging an improbable rescue mission that saves the rookie and cleans up the space junk and has everyone home in time to reminisce at the agency Christmas party and I sleep with the rookie.

 

[zinfamous]

Remember, they are in space. If you would have suited up and grabbed it, the impact would probably kill you in one or more ways. This is traveling at a high velocity. If it didn't just rip your suite, or crush you on impact, you'd go tumbling uncontrollably away from the ISS, and would be no longer recoverable. So, if you weren't already dead, you'd rather quickly be out of range of the ISS and die from lack of oxygen.

Giving it a quick boot would have similar issues. You'd probably rip the boot, have a crushed foot, lose pressure in your suite, and again tumble away from the ISS. So again, you'd basically die.

You'll learn all of this when you go through zero gravity training at Jupiter Station.

Also, if it had been traveling close enough to the ISS for the ISS's robot arm to grab it, the robot arm would probably break off or be heavily damaged, and the ISS would start spinning. Then the ISS would have to expend a lot of propellant to re-orient itself and stop the spin. When you see SpaceX's Dragon capsule being captured by the robot arm, this has been after a couple of days of the capsule matching the ISS's orbit, orientation, and velocity before they attempt to clamp on.

You're no fun.

 

[MtnMan]

Well the closing speed wasn't that great. Some things pass-by at up to 34,000MPH.

 

[Fir]

Well the closing speed wasn't that great. Some things pass-by at up to 34,000MPH.

Imagine the kinetic energy of something with the mass of a PC traveling by at 34,000 mph!

 

[Humpy]

Imagine the kinetic energy of something with the mass of a PC traveling by at 34,000 mph!

Kinetic Energy of 25lbs at 34,000mph = 1309860000 Joules

I'm going to spend all day Googling stuff and then acting like I'm smart.

Next I'm going to try and figure out WTF a Joule is.

 

[DietDrThunder]

Kinetic Energy of 25lbs at 34,000mph = 1309860000 Joules

I'm going to spend all day Googling stuff and then acting like I'm smart.

Next I'm going to try and figure out WTF a Joule is.

Are your family Joules protected?

 

[DigDog]

I bet Bruce Willis could catch it.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Isin't it just a cube sat? It was probably actually launched FROM the ISS at one point and it just so happens they're meeting up with it again. Looks like they are mostly going the same direction so an impact would probably not be TOO bad but I guess it does not take too much slight angle difference to make it a decent enough impact to be a concern.

Keep in mind the kinetic energy is kinda relative because the ISS too is traveling very fast, the impact would not be as high. Now if it was traveling in the completely opposite direction... then you can DOUBLE the kinetic energy. The smaller the angle difference at time of impact and lower the speed difference, the less the impact would be.

It would in theory be possible to send an astronaut out on a space walk with a jet pack or a small ship to go meet up with it and bring it in, if they wanted to, but the risk is still kinda high. I don't think they ever go out untethered.

I now have a sudden urge to play KSP.