Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site terak.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!houxm!houxz!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!hao!noao!terak!sohail From: sohail@terak.UUCP Newsgroups: net.space Subject: re: # of satellites Message-ID: <134@terak.UUCP> Date: Thu, 9-Aug-84 18:51:19 EDT Article-I.D.: terak.134 Posted: Thu Aug 9 18:51:19 1984 Date-Received: Mon, 13-Aug-84 00:42:44 EDT Organization: Terak Corp, Scottsdale, Az Lines: 20 According to Desmond King-Hele's book "Observing Earth Satellites", there are roughly 5000 (five thousand) significant man-made objects in earth orbit. Watching these objects cross the sky every moonless night an hour after sunset is one of my favorite pastimes. The Ruskies were kind enough to send up a booster 6-8 meters in length , with every 'Cosmos' satellite. These boosters, painted white, usually go into orbit with the payload for 2 weeks to 20 years. In contrast, most of the United States launches were very tidy about putting thier booster trash in ballistic arcs or very shortlived orbits. (Maybe someone from NASA could enlighten us on the validity of my last sentence) The pretty white, tumbling, spent boosters make much better backyard targets then the small black silicon covered functional devices that are gyro-stabilized. I remain Cliff Cordes ...hao!noao!terak!cliff