I know it is a little sad but I have over the years found time to catch Iridium 'flares' just after sunset, and occasionally have even dragged the children out to watch the 2 or 3 seconds of up to mag -3 glare it's way across the sky. Now there is one less in that predictable constellation. Kosmos 2251 was launched in 1993, died some two years later, and some further 15 years of wearing a low earth orbit track managed to take out Iridium 33 in spectacular fashion. Or maybe it was the other way around. Up until this point satellites had always been ably protected by the laws of chance. Not any more
In other collision news: Angus Robertson, SNP Westminster leader, is asking for a public government statement:
"The Ministry of Defence needs to explain how it is possible for a submarine carrying weapons of mass destruction to collide with another submarine carrying weapons of mass destruction in the middle of the world’s second-largest ocean,” he said.
So HMS Vanguard and Le Triomphant, were as per normal routine, utilising passive sonar and probably anti-sonar techniques, and more importantly were sharing the view that the Atlantic ocean is so bloody big that the odds of colliding are... unthinkable.
(This is probably an urban (or marine) myth but:)
Transcript of the ACTUAL radio conversation of a US naval ship with Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland.
Canadians: Please divert your course 15 degrees the South to avoid a collision.
Americans: Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees the North to avoid a collision.
Canadians: Negative. You will have to divert your course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.
Americans: This is the Captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.
Canadians: No. I say again, you divert YOUR course.
Americans: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES' ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH, I SAY AGAIN, THAT'S ONE FIVE DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTER-MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.
Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call.
In other collision news: Angus Robertson, SNP Westminster leader, is asking for a public government statement:
"The Ministry of Defence needs to explain how it is possible for a submarine carrying weapons of mass destruction to collide with another submarine carrying weapons of mass destruction in the middle of the world’s second-largest ocean,” he said.
So HMS Vanguard and Le Triomphant, were as per normal routine, utilising passive sonar and probably anti-sonar techniques, and more importantly were sharing the view that the Atlantic ocean is so bloody big that the odds of colliding are... unthinkable.
(This is probably an urban (or marine) myth but:)
Transcript of the ACTUAL radio conversation of a US naval ship with Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland.
Canadians: Please divert your course 15 degrees the South to avoid a collision.
Americans: Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees the North to avoid a collision.
Canadians: Negative. You will have to divert your course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.
Americans: This is the Captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.
Canadians: No. I say again, you divert YOUR course.
Americans: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES' ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH, I SAY AGAIN, THAT'S ONE FIVE DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTER-MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.
Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call.
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