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What about the ring of debris in geostationary orbit? Will that decay in 60M years?
by robotomir 8y ago
What about the ring of debris in geostationary orbit? Will that decay in 60M years?
- jobigoud 8y agoAnd the stuff at the Lagrange points, assumedly in rather stable orbits.
- rgbrenner 8y agoTo answer both of your questions: none of that stuff will be in orbit in 60m years. Geostationary is only stationary in relation to a specific point on earth (geo). It just means it stays above a point on earth. It requires regular minor adjustments. L1, L2, and L3 aren't stable. L4 and L5 are... but you would still need to adjust for the earth and moon not being perfect spheres; the moon moving slowly away from earth; tidal variations; solar wind; debris; etc. L4 and L5 would last the longest, but not 60m years.
- acover 8y agoCould you move in a moon orbit?
- rgbrenner 8y agoSame problem. I don't think it could be in orbit. Someone else mentioned the objects we've placed on the moon. Seems to me that those would last the longest. The moon gets hit by small meteorites daily, but nothing that would destroy what's up there.
- pocketstar 8y ago>none of that stuff will be in orbit in 60m years. where will it go? it wouldn't have the drag or the delta-v to reenter. i think the parent meant geostationary altitude, but "geostationary" orbits are "relatively" cyclically stable. most significant perturbations, you mentioned some, are all <100 year cycles. If there was another spacefaring civilization >60m years ago i think there would be evidence, in orbit.
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- humanrebar 8y agoWhat about the rovers, plaques, and flags on the moon?