Yesterday (Friday 15th February 2013 ), very coincidentally;-

 

. Two space objects came mighty close to Earth .

 

One of them ( the size of a Bus ) in fact impacting near the Urals Russia, exploding near the ground ( many people with minor injuries ) and there is a big hole in the Ice.

 

The Second larger object an asteroid ,( approx the size of a large swimming pool ) , came thundering by in approximately the opposite direction at ( now this is the point ). A news Item in the UK said " asteroid passes at 17,400 miles per hour ".

 

Now I am not a NASA scientist, and there are a lot of Mathematicians in the forum better able than I , to do the maths. :-

 

But that number 17,400 mph is just below the down range launch velocity, or orbital velocity of a LOW EARTH ORBIT CRAFT usually going at approx 17,700 miles per hour. ( lower than the escape velocity )

 

Is that not a bit close for comfort ( or lack of comfort).

 

If there is any way the Asteroid can sling shot back ( which historically they have a habit of doing ) on some form of return trip into a low earth orbit pass by (or not pass by but get caught up) 100-500 miles up approx . ( yesterday was nearer the outer satellite orbits, Geo-synchronous orbits approx 22,000 miles), then : -

 

Could we end up with a Low Earth Orbit asteroid in our communication orbits 100-500 miles up. ?

 

.. EEk !

Edited February 16, 201312 yr by Mike Smith Cosmos

Yes, but not this one in the forseeable future.

Yes, but not this one in the forseeable future.

 

Good I hope you are right !