Amazing observation of space debris

[ralfvandebergh]

Hi all,

I want to share this extraordinary observation regarding orbital mechanics.

http://vimeo.com/36473462


Best regards,
Ralf Vandebergh

Astrophotographer
http://ralfvandebergh.startje.be/vieuw.php?qid=328303

[Chris Peterson]

I want to share this extraordinary observation regarding orbital mechanics.
http://vimeo.com/36473462

While the video is interesting, I'm skeptical of the interpretation. A 10m long, 9000kg rocket body rotating radially about a center of gravity 2m from one end (about right given the mass of the motor) at 3 r/s, results in a tensile force that is close to, or exceeding, the material strength of the structure.

With so few frames, it is hard to deconstruct what is probably tumbling on two axes. What is needed is a light curve collected at a high rate, for at least 10 or 15 seconds.

Nothing strikes me as unusual or complex about the orbital dynamics, however.

[ralfvandebergh]

I should have mentioned before: I saw the object visually while tracking and i saw it flashing at a very high rate, so I'm very convinced about the interpretation.

Ralf

[Chris Peterson]

I should have mentioned before: I saw the object visually while tracking and i saw it flashing at an very high rate, so I'm very convinced about the interpretation.

I wasn't suggesting that there wasn't a ~0.3 second periodicity, only the interpretation that this necessarily means the rocket body is tumbling end over end. The reason for collecting a longer light curve is that it makes it possible to deconstruct the actual tumbling behavior.

[ralfvandebergh]

Ok understood,

Ralf

[ralfvandebergh]

Here is an improved version of the video:

http://vimeo.com/37855475


Ralf Vandebergh

[ralfvandebergh]

Apologies for this new topic which is actually a reworked version of the earlier topic ''amazing observation of space debris''. I have deleted the early version but couldn't edit it with the new link anymore.

This is the new link:
http://vimeo.com/37855475


Thanks for your interest!

Ralf Vandebergh
http://ralfvandebergh.startje.be/vieuw.php?qid=328303

[owlice]

I've merged the two topics.