(meteorobs) Leonid Worries

• To: meteorobs@latradedot com
• Subject: (meteorobs) Leonid Worries
• From: Ron Rennie <astron@earthlinkdot net> (by way of Mark Davis <MeteorObs@mail.charlestondot net>)
• Date: Fri, 01 Nov 1996 09:56:50 -0500
• Reply-To: meteorobs@latradedot com
• Sender: owner-meteorobs

Hi all

I have just come across an aspect of the upcoming Leonid meteor showers that
I haven't seen discussed before.
According to the latest issue of Space News, (an aerospace trade newspaper)
NASA, satellite owners and their insurance companies are scrambling to
protect their hardware from a potentially devastating bombardment expected
from the heaviest meteor storms since the dawn of the space age.

By 1998 the International Space Station, which will be halfway through a
five year construction period, is of particular concern as there will be  a
construction crew on board.  The Russian space station Mir will also be
occupied.  NASA will try to avoid sending up the Shuttle during these
storms, but should that be unavoidable they are discussing contingecy plans
to turn it round so that the tail end will face the oncoming meteor
blizzard, thus giving the astronauts as much protection as possible.  It is
estimated that this shower will be travelling at four times the speed of the
normal space debris it encounters and even the smallest meteors could have
an explosive impact.  

I thought this was interesting food fo thought

Ron Rennie
Lomita CA

• Re: (meteorobs) Leonid Worries
• From: Lew Gramer <dedalus>

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