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Are the locations of every satellite publicly available?

Posted on 2/14/17 at 11:23 am
Posted by beantown
Nashville
Member since Sep 2015
3429 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 11:23 am
Do organizations that launch satellites have access to the locations of every satellite in orbit? How do they determine the orbital path of new satellites they send up so that it does not crash into others in orbit?
Posted by Ugly Casanova
Member since Feb 2017
42 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 11:25 am to
Not today, ISIS.

Nice try.
Posted by beantown
Nashville
Member since Sep 2015
3429 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 11:27 am to
Curses! Foiled at every corner.
Posted by Ed Osteen
Member since Oct 2007
57528 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 11:27 am to
Take it easy Prison Mike
Posted by RJL2
Bruno's Tavern
Member since Apr 2015
1933 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 11:27 am to
The atmosphere is pretty big there's a lot of room up there they probably don't even check....
Posted by jamboybarry
Member since Feb 2011
32668 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 11:29 am to
quote:

How do they determine the orbital path of new satellites they send up so that it does not crash into others in orbit?


OP is a trial lawyer looking for new markets. No new HQ with helipad for you today OP
Posted by beantown
Nashville
Member since Sep 2015
3429 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 11:30 am to
That was my first thought, but I think if I were sending expensive satellites into space, I'd check at least once.
Posted by Ed Osteen
Member since Oct 2007
57528 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 11:32 am to
Think of it as throwing a handful of marbles out of a plane over Los Angeles and trying to hit the same person twice
This post was edited on 2/14/17 at 11:33 am
Posted by Deep Purple Haze
LA
Member since Jun 2007
52235 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 11:33 am to
yes
Posted by FloridaMike
Member since Dec 2012
1524 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 11:35 am to
Yes, they are all located in space.
Posted by Btrtigerfan
Disgruntled employee
Member since Dec 2007
21592 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 11:48 am to
Lots of info available. Short answer is yes, and there are computer programs that can predict the path of a satellite. Long answer, Google AMSAT.
Posted by Matador
Member since Oct 2012
252 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 12:24 pm to
yes, I think most satellites have to get approval and designated orbits. There is the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA.org) which I think takes care of this or some other international committee.

Registered search online index for Objects launched into Outer space
This post was edited on 2/14/17 at 12:30 pm
Posted by TigerstuckinMS
Member since Nov 2005
33687 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 12:30 pm to
There are organizations that have the locations of every private and non-classified satellite in orbit. Ground radar can pick up all objects (unless they're stealthed somehow, of course) in low earth orbit down to a couple of centimeters or even smaller. So, even the classified military satellites will likely show up easily from a ground based survey and you'll know SOMETHING is there, even though it'll just be a large unidentified object. Once you have pinpointed an object's position, speed, and direction of travel, you'll have pinpointed its entire orbit and can predict whether there will be a problem with close approaches fairly far into the future. Of course, this all assumes that the things you measure in orbit never change their orbit after you measure them. So, once the launch firm submits its launch profile, someone will let them know if there is any potential problem

Realistically, even if they didn't check, space is unfathomably big. To a first approximation, the entire universe is nothing but space. Launching a satellite and hitting another object by accident is like firing two bullets and getting them to hit in midair on the first try except the bullets are moving 17,000 mph. It is possible, but it's REALLY unlikely.

NB4 one of you jackasses posts a picture like this one.
This post was edited on 2/14/17 at 12:34 pm
Posted by Atttaboy
Atlanta, GA
Member since Aug 2014
327 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 12:33 pm to
Yes, the satellite owners/operators as well as the launch providers are aware of the existing satellites in orbit. Satellites can be placed in multiple different orbital slots (for geo-synchronous satellites) and orbital paths (polar, LEO, etc).

The rocket science of the launch is one issue, but operating the satellites through their life-cycle (station keeping, maneuvers, etc.) is where the real day to day work comes in.
Posted by quietplease
Member since Feb 2017
21 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 12:36 pm to
yeah theres actually an app called Sky Guide that has all of them. It was 2 or 3 bucks but its pretty badass if youre into space and learning about planets, stars, galaxies etc. It uses the camera on your phone and you just point it at the sky and it shows what stars are there and you can click on them to learn about what it is/how far away it is etc. But it has all the satellites in the search function.

10/10 would buy again
Posted by beantown
Nashville
Member since Sep 2015
3429 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 1:03 pm to


Thanks for the good answers everyone.
Posted by Atttaboy
Atlanta, GA
Member since Aug 2014
327 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 1:13 pm to
I work in an industry that uses satellites 24/7, so I get to deal with certain satellites, satellite operators, ground segment operators and some launch providers regularly.

A few years ago, one of the media satellites lost earth lock governing its controls. Several attempts to regain control failed. It took a "walk" across the geo-synchronous orbit over the US and about a dozen other broadcast satellites had to be maneuvered out of its way as it passed by over a few month period.

The satellite operators handled it flawlessly with no service interruptions. Each satellite had to burn some fuel to get out of the way of the "zombie sat" which reduced each of their operational life to some degree.
Posted by quietplease
Member since Feb 2017
21 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 1:53 pm to
how much fuel is "some fuel"
Posted by DarthRebel
Tier Five is Alive
Member since Feb 2013
21301 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 2:57 pm to
My kids have apps on their iPads that show where the satellites are. Top secret ones excluded of course.
Posted by beantown
Nashville
Member since Sep 2015
3429 posts
Posted on 2/14/17 at 3:18 pm to
Wow thanks for sharing. Had no idea these satellites actually had maneuvering. Thought it was a fixed path once it got up there, hence the question.
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