Comments on: LightSail-2 completes three-plus year mission, burning up in atmosphere https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/lightsail-2-completes-three-plus-year-mission-burning-up-in-atmosphere/ Tue, 22 Nov 2022 19:09:15 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Robert Zimmerman https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/lightsail-2-completes-three-plus-year-mission-burning-up-in-atmosphere/#comment-1369700 Tue, 22 Nov 2022 19:09:15 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=90278#comment-1369700 In reply to Jason Willingham.

Jason Willingham: FYI, you might have seen the asteroid I reference in a post today:

Astronomers spot asteroid mere hours before it burned up in Earth’s atmosphere

]]> By: Jason Willingham https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/lightsail-2-completes-three-plus-year-mission-burning-up-in-atmosphere/#comment-1369622 Mon, 21 Nov 2022 19:15:57 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=90278#comment-1369622 Ah, thanks for the link. Then just a well timed albeit spectacular garden variety meteor.

]]> By: Robert Zimmerman https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/lightsail-2-completes-three-plus-year-mission-burning-up-in-atmosphere/#comment-1369596 Mon, 21 Nov 2022 18:19:36 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=90278#comment-1369596 In reply to Jason Willingham.

Jason Willingham: It is unlikely what you saw was Lightsail. See the orbital re-entry track here. Though a more precise landing spot is not known, the track never gets farther north than Mexico.

]]> By: Jason Willingham https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/lightsail-2-completes-three-plus-year-mission-burning-up-in-atmosphere/#comment-1369592 Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:40:41 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=90278#comment-1369592 The article doesn’t say when, I saw a pretty spectacular meteor at about 5:20 am that day. I’d guess somewhere over BC, Canada. I wonder if that was it, I’d imagine the thin sail could make for a more showy entry?

]]> By: Robert Zimmerman https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/lightsail-2-completes-three-plus-year-mission-burning-up-in-atmosphere/#comment-1369176 Fri, 18 Nov 2022 19:41:04 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=90278#comment-1369176 In reply to Michael McNeil.

Michael McNeil: Yes, the Planetary Society has always been against manned space exploration, though this position might have softened in recent years.

]]> By: Michael McNeil https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/lightsail-2-completes-three-plus-year-mission-burning-up-in-atmosphere/#comment-1369173 Fri, 18 Nov 2022 19:32:34 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=90278#comment-1369173 Has not the Planetary Society always opposed manned (personned) spaceflight, maintaining that space should be exploration only?

]]> By: Lee S https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/lightsail-2-completes-three-plus-year-mission-burning-up-in-atmosphere/#comment-1369169 Fri, 18 Nov 2022 18:47:09 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=90278#comment-1369169 It’s worth saying this mission was funded entirely by private contributions… The planetary society is a worthy cause to join.

It had huge problems some years ago… I tried very hard to organise a Swedish member group perhaps 20-15 years back, and support was non existent, and although I gave up on that project, it’s obvious that things have been completely turned around under different management.

Their weekly podcast is almost essential listening for any space fan, and the monthly report from their space advocate in Washington shows exactly where your.dollars are going.

I’m not a huge fan of lightsailing… That’s another conversation tho…but the Planetary society is worth throwing a few dollars at, after, of course..BTB!

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