Comments on: No plans to shoot down Long March 5B booster; revised prediction https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/no-plans-to-shoot-down-long-march-5b-booster-revised-prediction/ Sat, 08 May 2021 03:09:25 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Chris Lopes https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/no-plans-to-shoot-down-long-march-5b-booster-revised-prediction/#comment-1129795 Sat, 08 May 2021 03:09:25 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=75565#comment-1129795 Whether it could be done or not (I think not) the total lack of concern by both the Chinese and our own government (but I repeat myself) is the troubling part. Then the reflex to use the situation (that they don’t give a rat’s rear end about) to call for more international regulation (when the current set of regulations are being ignored) is preposterous.

]]> By: Jay https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/no-plans-to-shoot-down-long-march-5b-booster-revised-prediction/#comment-1129724 Fri, 07 May 2021 18:04:01 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=75565#comment-1129724 John,
You are correct that we never knocked out a 20 ton object. I think the biggest object to my memory was USA193, that was over 2 tons, and it was a kinetic hit. I tried to film its last pass without success in 2008.
I think a shot at it would smash it into smaller pieces, but not obliterate it.

]]> By: John https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/no-plans-to-shoot-down-long-march-5b-booster-revised-prediction/#comment-1129705 Fri, 07 May 2021 15:22:32 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=75565#comment-1129705 Didn’t know we could shoot down 20 tons in a decaying low earth orbit. Down is where it’s going anyway.

We might have a shot at destroying a small reentry vehicle on a ballistic trajectory to and from known or assumed locations, but not 20 ton derelict hulks.

]]> By: Paul https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/no-plans-to-shoot-down-long-march-5b-booster-revised-prediction/#comment-1129703 Fri, 07 May 2021 14:59:38 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=75565#comment-1129703 Jeff,

I saw the booster (still tumbling) this (Friday) morning. The booster was over southern and southeastern Oklahoma at the time yet I could still see it from the Houston area. It was of course very low in the northern and northeastern sky. It would brighten to almost the brightness of Polaris with about a two second interval. I was expecting it to be a much more difficult observation.

]]> By: Jeff https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/no-plans-to-shoot-down-long-march-5b-booster-revised-prediction/#comment-1129661 Fri, 07 May 2021 10:08:47 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=75565#comment-1129661 I was able to view the tumbling booster and the Tianhe-1 module just before dawn on Thursday May 6th. A guy in New York captured a closeup of the core module at the same time. Others have captured photos of the passes.

https://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=07&month=05&year=2021

]]> By: bkivey https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/no-plans-to-shoot-down-long-march-5b-booster-revised-prediction/#comment-1129615 Fri, 07 May 2021 05:41:57 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=75565#comment-1129615 The statement by Comrade Defense Minister Austin is not how a competent people operate. I am ashamed and appalled that such an individual is in charge of national defense. Honestly, a Denubian bloodworm has more spine.

Still a chance the booster could hit China.

]]> By: Alton https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/no-plans-to-shoot-down-long-march-5b-booster-revised-prediction/#comment-1129609 Fri, 07 May 2021 05:02:38 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=75565#comment-1129609 Correction 21 tons

]]> By: Alton https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/no-plans-to-shoot-down-long-march-5b-booster-revised-prediction/#comment-1129608 Fri, 07 May 2021 05:01:45 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=75565#comment-1129608 According to Space News..
31 tons dry mass…….
https://spacenews.com/huge-rocket-looks-set-for-uncontrolled-reentry-following-chinese-space-station-launch/

]]> By: Jim Webb https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/no-plans-to-shoot-down-long-march-5b-booster-revised-prediction/#comment-1129594 Fri, 07 May 2021 04:05:46 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=75565#comment-1129594 Is the 21 tons dry mass or wet?

]]> By: Jeff Wright https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/no-plans-to-shoot-down-long-march-5b-booster-revised-prediction/#comment-1129589 Fri, 07 May 2021 03:56:33 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=75565#comment-1129589 This shows that the rocket is very like Atlas and R-7 lightly loaded…almost stage-and-a-half to orbit. This could be a wet-workshop, with mods…reduced payload. Skylab started off that way.

]]> By: Gary https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/no-plans-to-shoot-down-long-march-5b-booster-revised-prediction/#comment-1129584 Fri, 07 May 2021 03:02:52 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=75565#comment-1129584 Yeah, I’ve noticed several stories trying to make the case this is a problem of nations who put objects I orbit vs the CCP deliberately flaunting existing protocols.

]]> By: Calvin Dodge https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/no-plans-to-shoot-down-long-march-5b-booster-revised-prediction/#comment-1129564 Fri, 07 May 2021 01:14:58 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=75565#comment-1129564 “… there should be a requirement to operate in a safe and thoughtful mode …”

There is. It’s called “treaty”. Welcome to a classic example of the Communist attitude toward treaties.

]]>