Tag

Debris

All articles tagged with #debris

space14 days ago•11 min saved

Perseid fireballs meet a solar eclipse for a skywatching spectacle

The Perseids meteor shower, debris from comet Swift-Tuttle, could produce 50–100 bright meteors per hour under ideal skies and will coincide with a solar eclipse this August. A new Moon means darker skies for better viewing, with the best chance to see meteors after dusk toward Perseus in the northern sky. In the UK, eclipse timings range from about 6:08 pm to 8:10 pm local time, with maximum around 7:05–7:15 pm; viewers are advised to use eclipse glasses for safety.

via The Independent|

#debris #meteor-shower #moonlight

space20 days ago•2 min saved

SpaceX Falcon 9 Debris Strikes the Moon, Creating a New Crater

A four-tonne chunk of SpaceX Falcon 9 second-stage debris crash-landed on the Moon near Einstein Crater, creating a new crater at roughly 8,700 km/h. Orbital observers and NASA’s LRO, along with South Korea’s Danuri, will document the site to study high-velocity cosmic impacts and ejecta; this marks only the second known Moon impact from discarded rocket hardware, highlighting growing concerns about space debris and orbital crowding.

via aljazeera.com|

#crater #debris #lunar-impact

space21 days ago•133 min saved

SpaceX upper stage to crash into the Moon, possibly creating a fleeting Earth-visible plume

A discarded SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage (about 8,000 pounds) is on a collision course with the Moon, hitting near Einstein Crater around 2:35 a.m. EDT on Aug. 5, 2026. The impact itself is unlikely to be visible from Earth, but a brief ejecta plume could rise above the lunar surface and be detectable with large telescopes under favorable conditions. South American observers may have an easier viewing angle, while Danuri in lunar orbit and NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will observe and photograph the site to study crater formation and debris hazards.

via Space|

#debris #moon #observing

science21 days ago•134 min saved

Moonbound SpaceX stage to collide with Moon, a test of lunar debris hazards

An 8,800-pound Falcon 9 upper stage from SpaceX’s January 2025 moon mission will slam into the Moon on Aug. 5, 2026 after spending over a year in a high-Earth, moon-crossing orbit; solar activity and gravity nudged it toward a lunar impact, which should create a crater about 89 feet (27 meters) wide on the sunlit side. The event isn’t expected to be visible from most of Earth, but scientists will use it to test methods for locating impact ejecta and assessing hazards to future lunar infrastructure, and NASA and SpaceX are exploring disposal options to minimize similar debris in the future.

via space.com|

#debris #moon #science

science22 days ago•47 min saved

SpaceX debris to slam into the Moon at 5,400 mph, NASA and observers track the impact

A used SpaceX upper stage that delivered two lunar landers in 2025 is set to crash into the Moon at about 5,400 mph (8,690 km/h), an event NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and South Korea’s Danuri will observe. The impact is expected to release energy of roughly three tons of TNT and could eject material visible from telescopes. Scientists will study the debris effects to gauge hazards for future lunar missions, highlighting space-debris management amid the ongoing race to return humans to the Moon.

via Yahoo|

#debris #moon #nasa

science1 month ago•2 min saved

Six Metallic Spheres on Queensland Beach Traced to Space Debris

Residents of Forrest Beach in Queensland found six metallic spheres that were later confirmed by Australia’s space agency to be rocket debris re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, ending speculation of aliens.

via The New York Times|

#australia #debris #queensland

science2 months ago•41 min saved

China's rocket debris narrowly misses Starlink satellites, raising space-safety alarm

A Chinese rocket disintegrated in orbit, scattering debris that passed dangerously close to SpaceX's Starlink satellites, triggering concerns about orbital collision risks and prompting calls for improved debris tracking and mitigation.

via Yahoo|

#china #debris #satellites

science3 months ago•11 min saved

The $400 Littering Ticket That Turned Skylab Debris Into Folklore

In 1979, Skylab debris dispersed across Western Australia. The Shire of Esperance issued NASA a $400 littering ticket as a joke; NASA did not pay, and the unpaid fine was settled in 2009 when listeners funded the amount, turning the episode into local folklore about space debris.

via Space Daily|

#debris #esperance #littering

science3 months ago•8 min saved

Falcon 9 Debris Predicted to Impact Moon Near Einstein Crater This August

An independent astronomer predicts a 45-foot upper stage from SpaceX’s January 2025 Falcon 9 mission (object 2025-010D) will crash into the Moon on August 5, 2026, near the Einstein crater on the Moon’s western limb at about 5,400 mph. The impact won’t be visible from Earth, but scientists may study the resulting crater with lunar orbiters like the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The object has been in a long looping Earth orbit, with solar radiation pressure complicating precise plotting. This would be one of several artificial impacts on the Moon’s surface dating back to the Apollo era.

via NDTV|

#bill-gray #debris #einstein-crater

space-and-spaceflight3 months ago•16 min saved

A Crowded Sky: Artemis II Visualizes the LEO Traffic Jam

NASA's Artemis II composite animation visualizes a crowded low Earth orbit, showing thousands of objects— active satellites, dead satellites, rocket bodies and debris— streaking around Earth at about 17,550 mph and underscoring the collision risks as LEO traffic has surged in recent years.

via Gizmodo|

#artemis-ii #debris #low-earth-orbit

space-exploration3 months ago•83 min saved

Forecast: SpaceX rocket debris could slam into the Moon’s Einstein crater this summer

A discarded Falcon 9 upper stage launched in 2025 is predicted to crash into the Moon’s Einstein crater around Aug. 5, 2026, likely at about 2:44 a.m. EDT; the impact would create a new crater of scientific interest but poses no danger to Earth or existing spacecraft.

via Live Science|

#debris #moon #space

local4 months ago•2 min saved

Debris from Mandarin Oriental Implosion Strikes Miami Condo Lobby, Residents Fear for Safety

Video shows debris from the Mandarin Oriental implosion in Miami smashing into a nearby condo lobby, shattering glass and coating the building in dust, prompting six-figure cleanup costs and safety concerns from residents as a new hotel-residence project moves forward; the demolition company says the implosion was completed with minor damage addressed and city officials have not yet commented.

via CBS News|

#debris #demolition #implosion

science4 months ago•16 min saved

Starlink satellite 34343 appears to break apart after on-orbit anomaly

SpaceX says Starlink satellite 34343 suffered an on-orbit anomaly on March 29 at about 560 km (348 miles) altitude and is no longer in one piece; LeoLabs detected a fragment-creation event. SpaceX will monitor debris and pursue a root-cause fix, with no expected risk to the International Space Station, Artemis II, or Transporter-16.

via Engadget|

#debris #leolabs #satellite

space4 months ago•25 min saved

Fragile Orbits: Could a Debris Cascade Spin Out of Control?

The Guardian piece explains Earth’s orbit is now a crowded, evolving space: about 32,000 objects are currently tracked, with private mega‑constellations like Starlink driving a rapid rise in satellites and debris. Projections suggest as many as 60,000 active satellites by the end of the decade. A collision cascade—where one crash produces fragments that collide with more satellites—could rapidly worsen conditions, potentially making launches dangerous and the orbital environment unsustainable. Experts like Jonathan McDowell warn the system is fragile and hinges on continuous cooperation; deorbiting, nets, lasers and stronger space governance are being explored to avert a debris catastrophe.

via The Guardian|

#debris #megaconstellations #orbital-traffic

science4 months ago•43 min saved

Starlink satellite loses contact after anomaly; debris due for atmospheric burn

SpaceX says it lost contact with Starlink satellite 34343 after an anomaly; space-tracking company LeoLabs reported tens of nearby objects. SpaceX notes no new risk to the ISS or Artemis II and will monitor trackable debris as the satellite and fragments are expected to burn up in the atmosphere within a few weeks. The incident follows a similar December event in crowded low-Earth orbit (~560 km) as SpaceX pursues FCC licensing for up to a million satellites.

via The Verge|

#debris #satellites #science