Although they will approach a distance of between 13 and 87 meters, specialists estimate the possibility of a crash as unlikely.
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Two satellites out of service will approach dangerously this Wednesday, when will pass next to each other at a distance of between 13 and 87 meters.
According to the organization LeoLabs Inc., which monitors the location of space debris, it is the IRAS space telescope (13777), which was put into orbit in 1983 and the American payload GGSE-4 (2828), launched in 1967. context, the CBS details that one of the devices is the size of a trash can, while the other is comparable to a small car.
The objects would pass at that narrow distance at 23:39:35 (UTC) on January 29 moving at an approximate speed of 14.7 kilometers per second. The moment of maximum approach will take place over the American city of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) 900 kilometers high.
2 / On Jan 29 at 23:39:35 UTC, these two objects will pass close by one another at a relative velocity of 14.7 km / s (900km directly above Pittsburgh, PA). Our latest metrics on the event show a predicted miss distance of between 15-30 meters. pic.twitter.com/Hlb1KeQ50U
– LeoLabs, Inc. (@LeoLabs_Space) January 27, 2020
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However, since LeoLabs Inc. indicated that the probability that both devices collide is 1 in 1000. “It is not guaranteed that they will collide, but if they do, any fragment that falls to Earth will hit the atmosphere at tremendous speed and burn, much like a shooting star, “said Ralph Crewe, of the Buhl Planetarium and Observatory of the Carnegie Science Center.
In this context, Crewe stressed that the possible collision does not pose a threat to the population. “Fortunately, it is relatively safe. No one on Earth has any chance of suffering any harm from that, it will be simply an amazing show in heaven, “he declared.
Meanwhile, LeoLabs Inc. indicated that “events like this highlight the need for responsible and timely satellite desorption to advance the sustainability of space.”
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