Jettisoning @Space_Station hardware we no longer need with the @csa_asc robotic arm.

Jul 17, 2023 · 6:37 PM UTC

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One correction: I said off the cuff the orbit would decay over the coming days to weeks. It’s actually years – reentry timing has high uncertainty, but estimates center around summer 2025. Primary driver of orbital decay is drag from tiny remnants of Earth’s atmosphere.
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Atmospheric density exponentially decays with altitude, but the decay rate at orbital altitudes depends on solar activity, making long-term predictions difficult.
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That’s a cool photo op - it carried in the solar arrays from your video stream, dead weight to carry otherwise
I was hoping to see the #Canadarm yeet the thing into infinity, like a robot pitcher or quarterback. But then I listened to the video. Calmly releasing it at nadir, an arm's reach from ISS, is elegant and gets the job done.
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If the space station is abandoned, what will be used instead?
Interesting! Thanks! Stay safe up there, guys!
Well explained. Your joy and love of the subject is infectious.