Heavenly Palace to Crash & Burn

[Cow Poke]

It appears China's Space Station, Tiangong-1 (meaning Heavenly Palace) is expected to plummet to Earth in late 2017. It will be interesting to see, as time goes on, if this can be averted, will it mostly burn up in the atmosphere on reentry, or where will it impact.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a7319916.html

China’s first space station will meet a fiery end next year when the 8.5-tonne module comes crashing down to Earth, amid concerns authorities have lost control of the craft.

The Tiangong-1 space station was launched in September 2011 and currently orbits Earth at an altitude of 230 miles (370km).

But in July, amateur astronomers suggested China had “lost control” of the satellite, after Chinese media reported the country’s space agency had struggled to get in contact with it.

Naturally, China has an explanation for this....

Speaking at a satellite launch for the space station’s successor in the Gobi Desert in northern China, officials from China’s manned space programme said the craft had ended its service in March this year having “comprehensively fulfilled its historical mission”.

Apparently, China's Space Program includes disposable space stations.

[Irate Canadian]

It appears China's Space Station, Tiangong-1 (meaning Heavenly Palace) is expected to plummet to Earth in late 2017. It will be interesting to see, as time goes on, if this can be averted, will it mostly burn up in the atmosphere on reentry, or where will it impact.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a7319916.html

China’s first space station will meet a fiery end next year when the 8.5-tonne module comes crashing down to Earth, amid concerns authorities have lost control of the craft.

The Tiangong-1 space station was launched in September 2011 and currently orbits Earth at an altitude of 230 miles (370km).

But in July, amateur astronomers suggested China had “lost control” of the satellite, after Chinese media reported the country’s space agency had struggled to get in contact with it.

Naturally, China has an explanation for this....

Speaking at a satellite launch for the space station’s successor in the Gobi Desert in northern China, officials from China’s manned space programme said the craft had ended its service in March this year having “comprehensively fulfilled its historical mission”.

Apparently, China's Space Program includes disposable space stations.

Tiangong-1 doesn't matter now, honestly. The Chinese didn't have a purpose for it after they launched Tiangong-2 last week, so there's no real purpose in salvaging it besides preventing Kessler syndrome.

[Yttrium]

Apparently, China's Space Program includes disposable space stations.

It's not the first space station to come in for a crash landing. Space stations, like any other low Earth orbit satellites, are going to become obsolete and abandoned eventually. Then it's only a matter of time before their orbits degrade and they crash. We just hope that they don't crash on top of us.

[Cow Poke]

It's not the first space station to come in for a crash landing. Space stations, like any other low Earth orbit satellites, are going to become obsolete and abandoned eventually. Then it's only a matter of time before their orbits degrade and they crash. We just hope that they don't crash on top of us.

Yes, but this one was launched in September 2011 -- that's a pretty quick "eventually".

[robrecht]

Yes, but this one was launched in September 2011 -- that's a pretty quick "eventually".

Skylab, our first space station, fell back to Earth after 6 years. Not so different, right?

[Teallaura]

Huh, I thought Skylab was up longer than that...

[rogue06]

Skylab, our first space station, fell back to Earth after 6 years. Not so different, right?

I would hope there were a few technological advances since 1973.

[rogue06]

Huh, I thought Skylab was up longer than that...

1973 to 1979

[robrecht]

I would hope there were a few technological advances since 1973.

Of course, but you still have to account for a learning curve when people are doing something for the first time.

[rogue06]

Of course, but you still have to account for a learning curve when people are doing something for the first time.

True, but after over 40 years you should still expect some improvement.

It's sort of like saying that if some country started building airplanes 43 years after Kitty Hawk we shouldn't expect their first attempts to go more than 120' or faster than slightly less than 11 km/hr (roughly 7 mph)

[robrecht]

True, but after over 40 years you should still expect some improvement.

It's sort of like saying that if some country started building airplanes 43 years after Kitty Hawk we shouldn't expect their first attempts to go more than 120' or faster than slightly less than 11 km/hr (roughly 7 mph)

A space station is probably a little more difficult venture than that.

[rogue06]

A space station is probably a little more difficult venture than that.

No analogy is ever perfect. Especially one thought up on the spot at 2 AM.

Still, I hope you get my point. After over four decades of technological advancements, and more than a couple of space stations, one should expect some improvement.

[robrecht]

No analogy is ever perfect. Especially one thought up on the spot at 2 AM.

Still, I hope you get my point. After over four decades of technological advancements, and more than a couple of space stations, one should expect some improvement.

From us, sure, but not necessarily from another country doing something for the first time. I have no idea what their goals and capabilities were, but it would be reasonable for them to first try to replicate what we did for the first time. How quickly they move to the next milestone might be a better measure of their ability to imitate and integrate the subsequent progress that others have made. Back in the 80s, I met a Parisian working on the European space venture. No real point to that story, just a random memory!

[rogue06]

From us, sure, but not necessarily from another country doing something for the first time. I have no idea what their goals and capabilities were, but it would be reasonable for them to first try to replicate what we did for the first time. How quickly they move to the next milestone might be a better measure of their ability to imitate and integrate the subsequent progress that others have made. Back in the 80s, I met a Parisian working on the European space venture. No real point to that story, just a random memory!

The Chinese almost certainly had our data as well as that from Europe and Russia. They've been very successful at stealing our secrets (and that stuff isn't that secret) for some time now.

[robrecht]

The Chinese almost certainly had our data as well as that from Europe and Russia. They've been very successful at stealing our secrets (and that stuff isn't that secret) for some time now.

Sure, but there's still something to be said for setting realistic and achievable goals the first time you start building a program. The size of the launch rocket, speed, trajectory, tracking experience, etc, are not merely technological issues, are not merely secrets to be stolen, but experience to be gained in learning to build a successful program. It still seems like a very reasonable and practical goal to first try and achieve some success that replicates the first success of others before advancing to more ambitious goals. I really see no point in arguing about this.