. 24/7 Space News .
TECH SPACE
Observers Puzzled by Mysterious 'Empty Trash Bag' Orbiting Earth
by Staff Writers
London, UK (Sputnik) Jan 31, 2019

illustration only

A Hawaiian telescope, part of NASA's Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), has spotted a satellite orbiting the Earth at an average distance of 262,000 kilometres. Sky watchers from Northolt Branch Observatories concluded that it might be a left-over from a rocket launch, but cannot put their finger on which one.

Northolt Branch Observatories has posted a video that captured a so-called "empty trash bag object" orbiting Earth with an unusual, retrograde trajectory. What distinguishes this piece, named, A10bMLz from objects previously found is its distant orbit.

According to the observatory, the object was first spotted on 25 January by ATLAS-HKO - a telescope located in Hawaii (at Haleakala) as part of the NASA-funded early-warning asteroid alert system.

The "empty trash bag object" is orbiting at an average distance of 262,000 km from Earth and has a highly elliptical orbit. The observers also point out that it has "an extremely high area-to-mass ratio" of 35 m2/kg. This is a sign that the object is extremely light and has a mass of less than 1 kg.

Because of this, pressure from solar radiation changes its orbit erratically, so it is hard to forecast its future trajectory. However, the researchers predict that the "trash bag" could enter Earth's atmosphere within a few months.

At the same time, the object has a diameter of several metres. The sky watchers suggest that it is probably metallic foil from a rocket that was left after some launch. However, the scientists are unable to say when A10bMLz's space journey began.

Source: Sputnik News


Related Links
Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System
Space Technology News - Applications and Research


Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly


paypal only
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal


TECH SPACE
ESA says there are 'big beasts' among 20,000 pieces of space junk
Moscow (Sputnik) Jan 23, 2019
Since the 1950s, humanity has been firing rockets and satellites into orbit around the Earth, but most of this is now "space junk". Dr Holger Krag, the head of the European Space Agency's space debris office, spoke to Sputnik about the problem. The first satellite to orbit the planet - Sputnik 1 - may have burned up and come back to Earth but thousands of other pieces of detritus remain circling the planet, including Vanguard I, which was launched by the US Navy in 1958. "There are around 20 ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

TECH SPACE
Blue Origin to make 10th flight test of space tourist rocket

Duration of UAE Astronaut's Mission on Board ISS Reduced to 8 Days

NASA Announces Updated Crew Assignment for Boeing Flight Test

China is growing crops on the far side of the moon

TECH SPACE
P120C solid rocket motor tested for use on Vega-C

To Catch a Wave, Rocket Launches From Top of World

China's Long March-5 rocket to resume flight in July

Avangard Hypersonic Glide Vehicle Devs Patent New Rocket Refueling Tech

TECH SPACE
Curiosity Says Farewell to Mars' Vera Rubin Ridge

NASA's Opportunity Rover Logs 15 Years on Mars

Dust storm activity appears to pick up south of Opportunity

ExoMars software passes ESA Mars Yard driving test

TECH SPACE
China to deepen lunar exploration: space expert

China launches Zhongxing-2D satellite

China welcomes world's scientists to collaborate in lunar exploration

In space, the US sees a rival in China

TECH SPACE
Thales Alenia Space and Maxar Consortium Achieve Major Milestone in Design Phase of Telesat's LEO Satellite Constellation

Swarm Raises 25M to build world's lowest-cost satellite network

OneWeb's first satellites arrive in Kourou, French Guiana in preparation for the first OneWeb launch on February 19, 2019

mu Space unveils plan to bid for space exploration projects

TECH SPACE
Radiation for dummies

Machine-learning code sorts through telescope data

Ball Aerospace tests electronically-steered antenna with Telesat's LEO Phase 1 satellite

Use a microscope as a shovel? UConn researchers dig it

TECH SPACE
Where Is Earth's Submoon?

Planetary collision that formed the Moon made life possible on Earth

Astronomers find star material could be building block of life

Double star system flips planet-forming disk into pole position

TECH SPACE
New Horizons' Newest and Best-Yet View of Ultima Thule

Missing link in planet evolution found

Juno's Latest Flyby of Jupiter Captures Two Massive Storms

Outer Solar System Orbits Not Likely Caused by "Planet Nine"









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.