Falling Russian Satellite Narrowly Misses Airliner

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Space junk falls around airliner: report
Mar 28 04:20 AM US/Eastern

Flaming space junk from a Russian satellite narrowly missed hitting a Chilean airliner over the Pacific Ocean, reports said Wednesday.

The pilot of a LAN Chile Airbus A340 en route to New Zealand told air traffic controllers he had seen pieces of flaming space junk falling about eight kilometres (four miles) in front of the plane and behind it, TV3 said.

The aircraft was not struck by any of the debris and later landed safely in Auckland.

Airways New Zealand, which manages New Zealand's air traffic, said it had been warned by Russian authorities that an obsolete satellite was due to fall into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday.

But the debris had apparently fallen into the area 12 hours earlier than the time advised by the Russians.

A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority, which is responsible for air safety, said it would launch an inquiry after it was advised of the details of the incident.

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Originally Posted by GothamSpotter

The pilot of a LAN Chile Airbus A340 en route to New Zealand told air traffic controllers he had seen pieces of flaming space junk falling about eight kilometres (four miles) in front of the plane and behind it, TV3 said.

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Four miles? That's not even close! Just further proof of the "Big Sky, Little Airplane" theory :wink:

Four miles is under one minute at cruise speed, no? I'd say that's pretty close.

An inquiry? What are they going to do, sue Russia?

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Originally Posted by moose135

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Originally Posted by GothamSpotter

The pilot of a LAN Chile Airbus A340 en route to New Zealand told air traffic controllers he had seen pieces of flaming space junk falling about eight kilometres (four miles) in front of the plane and behind it, TV3 said.

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Four miles? That's not even close! Just further proof of the "Big Sky, Little Airplane" theory :wink:

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Well it said some fell behind him as well so they were right in the middle of it all

imagine looking out the window and see flaming debris falling past you

That embraer & Being found each other over the Amazon of all places..... you just never know. I'd say this was "close" enough...

Tom

Ladies and gentlemen if you look to your right you will see flameing debris falling from the sky. This debris is also falling in front and behind us. On an intresting note we may soon look like that flameing debris ourselves. That is all. Enjoy the remainder of the crossing.

Part of what's remarkable about this is that the South Pacific west of Chile and east of Oceania is a vast area with what I imagine is relatively little air traffic, so in that context, 4 mis. would be a pretty close enough call.

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Originally Posted by GothamSpotter

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Space junk falls around airliner: report
Mar 28 04:20 AM US/Eastern

The pilot of a LAN Chile Airbus A340 en route to New Zealand told air traffic controllers he had seen pieces of flaming space junk falling about eight kilometres (four miles) in front of the plane and behind it, TV3 said.

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Ummm, one question...how did he see the "flaming space junk" falling BEHIND the plane? Last time I checked, the A340 did not have a rear-view mirror -OR- a window out the back.

Maybe he popped his head out the window? :wink:

Perhaps not directly behind it, but behind and to the side.

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Originally Posted by lijk604

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Originally Posted by GothamSpotter

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Space junk falls around airliner: report
Mar 28 04:20 AM US/Eastern

The pilot of a LAN Chile Airbus A340 en route to New Zealand told air traffic controllers he had seen pieces of flaming space junk falling about eight kilometres (four miles) in front of the plane and behind it, TV3 said.

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Ummm, one question...how did he see the "flaming space junk" falling BEHIND the plane? Last time I checked, the A340 did not have a rear-view mirror -OR- a window out the back.

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Of course he saw it, John. They were... inverted. ;)



Actually I was on this flight and have footage of the falling debris. Uploaded it to Anet as an incident and priority, but it was rejected. :twisted: :roll: