Physics:GGSE-4
The Gravity Gradient Stabilization Experiment (GGSE-4) was a technology satellite launched in 1967. This was ostensibly the fourth in a series that developed designs and deployment techniques later applied to the NOSS/Whitecloud reconnaissance satellites.
History
GGSE-4 was launched by the U.S. Airforce from Vandenberg Air Force Base atop a Thor Agena-D rocket.[1] GGSE-4 remained operational from 1967 through 1972.[2]
It is alleged that the real name of GGSE-4 was POPPY 5B or POPPY 5b and that it was a U.S. National Reconnaissance Office satellite designed to collect signals intelligence;[3] POPPY 5B was part of a 7-satellite mission. A partial subset of information about POPPY was declassified in 2005.[4]
Other sources say that GGSE-4 weighed only 10 pounds but that it was attached to the much larger Poppy 5, which would have weighed 85 kg and featured an 18-meter boom.[5] It is further alleged that GGSE-4's mass is not at all like GGSE-1's mass and that GGSE'4 weighs 85 kg.[6]
2020 near-miss
On 29 January 2020, 23:39:35 UTC,[7] GGSE-4 was expected to pass as closely as 12 meters [8] from IRAS, another un-deorbited satellite left aloft. IRAS was launched in 1983 and abandoned after a 10-month mission. The 14.7-kilometer per second pass[9] had an estimated risk of collision of 5%. Further complications arose from the fact that GGSE-4 was outfitted with an 18 meter long stabilization boom that was in an unknown orientation and may have struck the satellite even if the spacecraft's main body did not.[10] Initial observations from amateur astronomers seemed to indicate that both satellites had survived the pass, with the California-based debris tracking organization LeoLabs later confirming that they had detected no new tracked debris following the incident.[11]
See also
Gravity Gradient Stabilization Experiment (GGSE-1)
References
- ↑ "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Details". https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1967-053C.
- ↑ "No satellite crash: 2 pieces of space junk whiz safely by each other over Pittsburgh". 30 January 2020. https://www.space.com/no-satellite-crash-of-space-junk-iras-ggse-4.html.
- ↑ "No satellite crash: 2 pieces of space junk whiz safely by each other over Pittsburgh". 30 January 2020. https://www.space.com/no-satellite-crash-of-space-junk-iras-ggse-4.html.
- ↑ "Two Satellites Could Collide Tonight". 29 January 2020. https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/satellites/a30682394/satellites-collision/.
- ↑ "Two satellites over Pittsburgh appear to miss after chance for collision". https://www.kiro7.com/news/trending/two-satellites-could-collide-over-pittsburgh-wednesday-evening/NIVUWDOZPJEHFNUHUX544UBYMQ/.
- ↑ "Looming Potential Satellite Smashup Could Spawn Dangerous Debris Swarm". https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/looming-potential-satellite-smashup-could-spawn-dangerous-debris-swarm/.
- ↑ @LeoLabs_Space (29 January 2020). "Our latest data on the IRAS / GGSE 4 event". https://twitter.com/LeoLabs_Space/status/1222304111527374853.
- ↑ @LeoLabs_Space (29 January 2020). "Our latest update this morning for IRAS / GGSE 4". https://twitter.com/LeoLabs_Space/status/1222547865567887361.
- ↑ "2 satellites will narrowly avoid colliding at 32,800 MPH over Pittsburgh on Wednesday". 28 January 2020. https://www.space.com/satellite-near-collision-miss-over-pittsburgh.html.
- ↑ @LeoLabs_Space (29 January 2020). "Adjusted calculations for larger object size". https://twitter.com/LeoLabs_Space/status/1222547875797880832.
- ↑ @juliancd38 (29 January 2020). "Trails of both IRAS and GGSE4 continue unimpeded after intersection". https://twitter.com/juliancd38/status/1222670217601601540.
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