212 and Counting
click on the image for a larger version The image on the left shows the positions of the space debris 30 minutes after the collision while the image on the right shows them roughly 10 days later (now, as I…
Geoff Forden
Writing on ACW 2008–2010 · 142 posts
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First Debris Cataloged Right on Schedule
click on the image for a larger version This shows the first 14 pieces of debris associated with Cosmos 2251 to be cataloged As I said before, it takes a while for NORAD to accumulate enough observations on separated debris…
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Safir Engine Component Contest
ACW readers love to analyze photographs and foreign missiles so I thought I would have a little contest: identifying components of the Safir second stage engine. I’ve been staring at a couple of images of the reverse side of the…
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The Future (of Space) Is Now
Iridium Constellation. Note how the orbits cross each other near the poles Iridium and Cosmos Satellites Collide! Some of us have been warning about a catastrophic chain reaction of space collisions that could render near Earth orbits unusable for tens…
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Why Would a 2 Stage Safir Be Surprising?
Dead weights are for the second stage plus satellite, the red line is the orbital threshold, required Isp for each dead weight is read off by looking where each blue line crosses the red line I’m sure that anyone following…
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Let’s not forget North Korea…
In all the excitement and hubbub about Iran’s launch of the Omid satellite yesterday, there was other news that should warrant our attention. North Korea has, apparently, been seen shipping large missile bodies to its Western launch range. While described…
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Congratulations Iran!
“Kavoshgar” Launch Site shown in yellow; Satellite and rocket body shown in white There will be plenty of time to discuss the security implications of Iran’s Omid satellite but for right now, let’s take a minute to appreciate the technological…
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Taking EURODIF to the Cleaners
What is the difference between natural uranium and dirty laundry? The Laundromat throws the dirty water away while the enricher keeps the depleted uranium. That makes doing the laundry a service while EURODIF keeping the tails makes them a producer…
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Revisiting China’s Early Warhead Designs
I have a new toy: it’s called HyperCFD and it calculates a number of interesting quantities for bodies of rotation that are moving faster than the speed of sound. I bought it because I was interested in the stability of…
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Nuclear Renaissance vs. Financial Crisis
Could the current financial crisis have given us a reprieve from a boom in nuclear power spreading around the world? Not if my recent visit to URENCO is any indication! Many have argued that the so-called “nuclear renaissance,” will bring…