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(meteorobs) OT---Thoughts on Iridiums



Just a thought for all of us here. What if, as seems rather likely, the 
Iridium Consortium goes bankrupt and no longer has the money to control 
their satellites. While there may be some benefit for radio atronomy, can 
you imagine the horror for visual satronomy with over 200 uncontolled 
mirrors capable of reflecting -8 magnitude flashes anywhere in the sky for 
several millenia (I don't know for sure what the deorbit time for 
satellites in that high an orbit is, but I'm sure it's QUITE long). Once 
they are not predictable, and no longer do any orbit keeping, they could 
ruin astronomy forever (ay least as far as my lifetime is concerned.
	Now that they are up there, at some time in the future, this scenario will 
likely come to pass.

I am afraid....very afraid

Wayne

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