Stuff in Space

[biohazard15]

Well, the title says it all:

http://stuffin.space/

[Camacha]

Ik keeps on 'Downloading satellites' here.

[LordFerret]

I've seen this before, it's pretty cool.

That's an awful lot of debris and rocket bodies floating around out there. Now imagine throwing up 650+ more LEO satellites for that new internet dream folks have been discussing. Yea.

[windows_x_seven]

Now imagine throwing up 650+ more LEO satellites for that new internet dream folks have been discussing. Yea.

Currently there are about 2465 artificial satellites orbiting the Earth. Imagine doing that in KSP.

[benjee10]

This is incredibly mesmerising and kinda scary at the same time.

[LordFerret]

Currently there are about 2465 artificial satellites orbiting the Earth. Imagine doing that in KSP.

Well.....

I'll imagine KSP could handle updating the positions and displaying the orbits the same as this Stuff In Space app does; After all, it's running right now on my machine with every satellite, rocket body, and debris part orbiting 'real-time' - and doing so without choking.

To have each object an actual model with 'x' number of parts involved??? Yea (the way it's done now?), my laptop would melt ("Halt and Catch Fire") for sure. lol

[J.Random]

Is disproportional graphical representation supposed to make it look worse than it is?

[clivman]

Currently there are about 2465 artificial satellites orbiting the Earth. Imagine doing that in KSP.

The lag......

[LordFerret]

Is disproportional graphical representation supposed to make it look worse than it is?

I would say it's quite accurate. The data for all the objects is coming from Space-Track.org, the orbital elements are displayed when the object is clicked on, and if you wish you can confirm those via tools on the NASA/JPL site (HORIZONS and/or Celestrak) which provides proper orbital elements (ephemeris)... data which I've pulled a number of times for use with Celestia.

[J.Random]

I would say it's quite accurate. The data for all the objects is coming from Space-Track.org, the orbital elements are displayed when the object is clicked on, and if you wish you can confirm those via tools on the NASA/JPL site (HORIZONS and/or Celestrak) which provides proper orbital elements (ephemeris)... data which I've pulled a number of times for use with Celestia.

I mean these objects' dimensions. If their icons/"blips" were sized proportionally to their real size and Earth, you'd see nothing except Earth.

[Camacha]

I mean these objects' dimensions. If their icons/"blips" were sized proportionally to their real size and Earth, you'd see nothing except Earth.

I think you indicated perfectly clear why the graphical representation is disproportional

[Bill Phil]

Is disproportional graphical representation supposed to make it look worse than it is?

Apparently so...

[ChrisSpace]

Wait, is this just satelites or does it include debris?

[Motokid600]

We managed to do that in one human lifetime? Yikes.

[smjjames]

What's the oldest debris/rocket part/payload you guys saw in there? I spotted something from 1960, but was clicking fast through randomness, so I didn't see what it actually was.

[Hcube]

Wait, is this just satelites or does it include debris?

In red are the satellites, in blue the spent rocket stages and in gray the debris

EDIT : Found a Thor ablestar debris from 1961... Now that's pretty old. I would have thought that kind of stuff would've decayed by now

Edited July 8, 2015 by Hcube

[heng]

awesome!

but broken. trying to set a maneuver node, doesn't work :-D

[RainDreamer]

Makes me wonder what is the threshold before we experience Kessler effect.

[Albert VDS]

Here's a representation of all the stuff in space to scale:

[Bill Phil]

Makes me wonder what is the threshold before we experience Kessler effect.

When the density of artificial objects in orbit gets high enough.

[Hcube]

When the density of artificial objects in orbit gets high enough.

Surely this can be calculated right ? How come space agencies only have very vague approximations of when it could happen ?

[Albert VDS]

When the density of artificial objects in orbit gets high enough.

You know that translates to: "The camel's back will break when the last straw is added".

Also, we are already at a point where the density is high enough to trigger it.

[Camacha]

Surely this can be calculated right ? How come space agencies only have very vague approximations of when it could happen ?

The real question why you think this would be perfectly predictable It is a phenomena that has been unseen and untested, just predicted. Of course it is a matter of approximations, since the mechanics are not fully understood and verified. Even extensively studied and tested systems have a fair degree of deviation when it comes to predictions.

Also, we are already at a point where the density is high enough to trigger it.

What is the source of that information?

[smjjames]

What is the source of that information?

Well, it's more like the potential is there IMO. We've already had a few spacecraft collisions and the ISS is routinely moved to avoid debris.

[Bill Phil]

You know that translates to: "The camel's back will break when the last straw is added".

Also, we are already at a point where the density is high enough to trigger it.

Not at all. It means that once there is a large number of satellites (large being many many times more than the current number of satellites) around Earth the likelihood of a "Kessler Syndrome Event" will be high enough that it's a guarantee.

The current satellite density is pretty low. Many thousands of satellites within a very large amount of space.

Kessler Syndrome is overrated.

Yes there are collisions, but they're not very common.