Mastodawn

Prof. Sam Lawler May 10

So, everyone worrying about the Venus probe reentry: yes, it's not designed to burn up in the atmosphere, and that's bad.

But, remember Starlink? There's something like one Starlink per day reentering now, and they weigh more than the Venus probe! SpaceX says they will burn up completely, but now one Starlink piece has been discovered in my province. (And if they don't make it to the ground, that means that half-ton of metal and plastic is deposited in the stratosphere instead. Yum).

Prof. Sam Lawler

More than 7,000 Starlinks in orbit now, and they have permission for 42,000. Even conservatively, at peak operation, they'll dump 25x more aluminum into the stratosphere than falls naturally as they launch and burn up 20-25 sats PER DAY. What will that do? We actually don't know. That metal is already measurable. SpaceX is just running this experiment.

We need fewer satellites in orbit with longer operational lifetimes. THAT is the new engineering challenge in LEO.

Prof. Sam Lawler May 10

LEO sat disposal is a new environmental disaster brewing, mostly because of the actions of a single private company, but really, it's everyone's operating procedure in LEO. Just burn those sats up in Earth's atmosphere when they're done! They just disappear! And if they don't, they probably won't hit anyone anyway.

Ok, this is turning rambly and I'm tired and need to put my goats in the barn. I hope the Venus probe reenters with no injuries, and just to be abundantly clear: fuck Starlink.

Prof. Sam Lawler May 10

P.S. Don't explain reentries or orbits to me.

Prof. Sam Lawler May 10

https://bsky.app/profile/planet4589.bsky.social/post/3lostcdm6qk2v

The probe is down, probably in the ocean.

Also there is no way I'm going to be able to answer all the questions that people have posted in this thread while I was asleep haha...yikes. Glad to see people are interested! I"ll try to answer a few at least. (I'll also be ignoring and likely blocking annoying mansplaining/sealioning)

Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589.bsky.social)

ESA reports K482SA reentered between 0604 UITC (seen by radar on pass over Europe) and 0732 UTC (not seen by European radars on the next orbit). Roskosmos reports that reentry was at 0624 UTC over the Indian Ocean, but with no details on how they conclude that.

Bluesky Social

Ben Royce 🇺🇦May 10

Pino Carafa May 10

@benroyce @sundogplanets YeAh BuT bUt BuTbUt DiD ShE rEaD iT? 🤪

elala@nrw.social May 10

@rozeboosje
😂
@benroyce @sundogplanets

ferricoxide May 10

@benroyce @sundogplanets

"Et Al" is my SO.

Pink Joanie Club 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️😷May 10

@benroyce @sundogplanets I think that was my absolute favourite tweet of all time. 💥

* pours one out *

fritzoids May 10

you might enjoy this: https://youtube.com/shorts/x9b_eTtKRS4

Before you continue to YouTube

Ben Royce 🇺🇦May 10

@fritzoids the audacity 😆

EndicottRoad59 May 10

@benroyce 😆 @sundogplanets

Longspeak May 10

@benroyce @sundogplanets "This is your place sir. Get in it."

@benroyce @sundogplanets LOL. Reminds me of the Katie Mack thing: https://www.bustle.com/articles/179179-theoretical-astrophysicist-claps-back-at-guy-who-told-her-to-learn-some-science

Theoretical Astrophysicist Claps Back At Guy Who Told Her To "Learn Some Science"

I’m sure you recognize this feeling: Someone is a total jerk, and then, too long after the fact to actually matter, you come up with the perfect comeback. If only! If this is you, you’ll find this story deeply satisfying: A guy told an…

Bustle

StanleyHOOTZZ May 10

@CStamp @benroyce @sundogplanets
ROFLMAO!!!
Lovely!!!

Gnorzaps May 10

@stanleyHootzz @CStamp @benroyce @sundogplanets ❤️

Amoshias May 10

@CStamp @benroyce @sundogplanets 1. The fact that JK Rowling is supporting a trans physicist is amazing.

@Amoshias @benroyce @sundogplanets Way back when...

Also, she identifies as bi. https://500queerscientists.com/katie-mack/

Katie Mack | 500 Queer Scientists

I'm a theoretical astrophysicist working in cosmology—the study of the Universe on the largest scales, and at the most fundamental level, from beginning to end. My areas of expertise are dark matter…

500 Queer Scientists

Medea Vanamonde🏳️‍⚧️ ♀May 11

@CStamp @Amoshias @benroyce @sundogplanets @DelilahTech

Haven’t seen her since Twitter good days.

Before here Career blew up to the Big Time after her book went Best Seller.

@MishaVanMollusq @Amoshias @benroyce @sundogplanets @DelilahTech I've been following her on IG: https://www.instagram.com/astrokatiemack/

She's becoming quite the pilot.

Login • Instagram

Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

Medea Vanamonde🏳️‍⚧️ ♀May 11

@CStamp @Amoshias @benroyce @sundogplanets @DelilahTech

I Don’t use any Meta Products due that Race Traitor Nazi Mark Zuckerberg.

Any one using Meta products is collaborating with Nazis.

Sheesh, I was already annoyed with Katie when she let her success go to her head and succumbed to celebrity syndrome.

Makes me want to drop THE END OF EVERYTHING from the Pedestrian Bridge over the Freeway a block away and watch it experience it’s own cataclysmic under the wheels of a 18 Wheeler.

We used to daily before I was an Egg.
Then she was too good to talk to little people any more.

Just when i was about to forgiver

@MishaVanMollusq How did she let success go to her head? @Amoshias @benroyce @sundogplanets @DelilahTech

Amoshias May 11

@MishaVanMollusq @CStamp @benroyce @sundogplanets @DelilahTech you may want to look up what the phrase "race traitor" is used to mean. I suspect (and hope) you misunderstand it.

@Amoshias @MishaVanMollusq @benroyce @sundogplanets @DelilahTech What does that have to do with Katie?

Amoshias May 11

@CStamp @MishaVanMollusq @benroyce @sundogplanets @DelilahTech if I understand it right, the person I'm responding to is ranting against her for using instagram, which is owned by Mark zuckerberg.

Ben Royce 🇺🇦May 11

@Amoshias @CStamp @MishaVanMollusq @sundogplanets @DelilahTech she's saying that Zuckerberg is Jewish yet supports fascism

@benroyce @Amoshias @MishaVanMollusq @sundogplanets @DelilahTech As does everyone aligned with Israel (support fascism). But that has nothing to do with Katie being full of herself because she wrote a well-received book.

Ben Royce 🇺🇦May 11

@CStamp @Amoshias @MishaVanMollusq @sundogplanets @DelilahTech no argument. I'm just explaining medea's use of the term race traitor in reference to zuckerberg

@benroyce Thanks, got that. @Amoshias @MishaVanMollusq @sundogplanets @DelilahTech

Amoshias May 11

@CStamp @benroyce @MishaVanMollusq @sundogplanets @DelilahTech and if I was a Jew who stands against fascism (actually, I am) "race traitor" is very definitely not a phrase I'd use in that context.

Ben Royce 🇺🇦May 11

@Amoshias @CStamp @MishaVanMollusq @sundogplanets @DelilahTech

I'm not Jewish, and I'm not putting forth any argument here. I'm merely explaining Medea's argument to you, which is a sound argument or an unsound argument on terms I make no representation nor advocacy of for or against. I have no right to speak on the terms, and if I did I would be patronizing and speaking outside my purview. I merely understood what Medea was saying and was explaining what she was saying to you

Amoshias May 11

@benroyce @CStamp @MishaVanMollusq @sundogplanets @DelilahTech I didn't think you were defending the use of the term in any way.

נאריש זשלאָב מענטש May 11

@benroyce cool cool cool. Her and Trump agree on that Jewish race mishegoss, I guess. 🐴👞

@Amoshias @CStamp@mastodon.social @MishaVanMollusq @sundogplanets @DelilahTech

Ben Royce 🇺🇦May 12

@dukepaaron @Amoshias @MishaVanMollusq @sundogplanets @DelilahTech

i have no right as a non-jew to say anything for or against arguments amongst jews (medea says they are "judaism adjacent" so i could be wrong about that)

granted, i opened my fat mouth as a point of clarification in a discussion i am not really a part of, just because i am in the thread. so i certainly goofed there

🏴‍☠️May 16

@benroyce @sundogplanets
Boom!

@sundogplanets
Thanks for the update! I'm sure the media will get right on reporting this. 🙄
I hope no ocean residents were harmed.

@sundogplanets FWIW I hope I am not in the parenthetical. It's certainly not my intention, at least!

Jennifer May 10

@sundogplanets I'm glad it didn't land on someone's house!!

Warren Currie 🦠🦐May 10

@sundogplanets it not only surprised me to read that there was such a range in when the rogue space probe would actually reenter the atmosphere, but also that with all of the tracking we have available, it seems like it was just, woops!, missed it 🤔.

Joe Dyrt May 10

@DrPlanktonguy @sundogplanets All will NOT be revealed!

Matthew Newell May 10

@sundogplanets "The Kosmos 482 probe, a relic from the first Space Race, crashed harmlessly into the Indian Ocean west of Jakarta, Indonesia at 2:24 a.m. EDT (6:24 a.m. GMT), the Russian space agency Roscosmos announced on Telegram. No damage or injuries have been reported, and it remains unclear whether the lander reached the ocean in one piece."

https://www.livescience.com/space/space-exploration/soviet-spacecraft-kosmos-482-crashes-back-to-earth-disappearing-into-indian-ocean-after-53-years-in-orbit

Soviet spacecraft Kosmos 482 crashes back to Earth, disappearing into Indian Ocean after 53 years in orbit

The failed Soviet spacecraft Kosmos 482 has finally returned to Earth after 53 years in orbit. It disappeared into the Indian Ocean early Saturday morning.

Live Science

Anyia, complicated 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈May 10

@sundogplanets orbits is what your dog does when it's trying to get the goats to reenter the barn, right?

your auntifa liza 🇵🇷 🦛 🦦May 10

🗣 LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK!!!

Ben Royce 🇺🇦May 10

@blogdiva @sundogplanets

TanekRune May 10

@benroyce @blogdiva @sundogplanets
It occurs to me that a number of people - young men especially - were told they can say anything if they sound confident enough.

@sundogplanets
God I spent hours ranting about this to anyone who would listen back when starlink started talking about putting these up, because holy shit unearned faith in 'they will burn up safely '

I still can't believe that this is where things went...

Cat West May 10

@sundogplanets great picture. I feel so calm just looking at it.

@sundogplanets I came for the Starlink toots but have been distracted by the goats and dog. Is the dog a Pyrénéen?

Prof. Sam Lawler May 10

@ElHadjiMurad One of our livestock guardian dogs is a Pyrenees mix, one is an Anatolian shepherd mix

@sundogplanets Lovely! LGDs are such amazing animals. We have a Traditional Spanish Mastif, though, so I'm a bit biased...

Prof. Sam Lawler May 10

@ElHadjiMurad Cutie!!

@sundogplanets Thanks, he's very good at posing for photos, as evidenced here..!

Prof. Sam Lawler May 11

@ElHadjiMurad Thank you for sharing!

The Sleight Doctor 🃏May 10

@sundogplanets
It's difficult to distinguish between someone innocently agreeing - and expanding or underlining - and someone arrogantly mansplaining online, eh?

I try to roll with words to the effect of, "I realise *you* know this already, but for others reading..." (or words to that effect).

It must be especially annoying when you spent several years studying a subject and Joe Shmo is up in your comments telling you something you learned in 101. 🙄

@ApostateEnglishman @sundogplanets

Sometimes I run into "I didn't understand this aspect of the post, so I did some reading up on it, and here's what I learned, just in case someone else is also confused."

Like, I'm not mansplaining. It's something that I feel like the author (who is clearly conversant with it better than myself) simply didn't explain well enough, and that OTHER people may have been as confused as I was.

Sometimes, experts are just over-familiar.

https://xkcd.com/2501/

Average Familiarity

xkcd

@sundogplanets I need to turn your posts into a story!! I kind of want to write something about this whole thing.