4 ms·

How is it we have such precise satellite location data on these crashes - but MH370 can just disappear.

by jdsully 8y ago

tus87 8y ago
Didn't you read the part about the transponder being switched off?
- jdsully 8y ago
  My understanding is this was more precise data than ADS-B. Perhaps I’m wrong - I’m legitimately asking.
- sowbug 8y ago
  Please see the "In Comments" section of https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html. Writing "The transponder was switched off" would contribute the same substance to the conversation but without the insinuation.
jimktrains2 8y ago
It was my understanding that all/most/all-controllable radios were shutoff at some point. There was some maintenance data from the engines that factored into the search location, but otherwise it wasn't transmitting anything. I havn't followed very closely, so take that with salt, but it's a starting place if anything.
Retric 8y ago
A flight data recorder provides a lot of information. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_recorder https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_recorder We could stream this information via satellite uplink. Instead Radar and transponders is used to keep a close enough location to make recovery generally strait forward. It’s really turning off the transponder while over the middle of the ocean that’s the issue for MH370.
- 0xffff2 8y ago
  It's my understanding from various reporting I've heard on this subject that the location data that is the subject of the OP is in fact data that is reported live via satellite comms, not data that has been retrieved from the FDR.
  - Retric 8y ago
    I am talking about a difference in resolution. Locating a crash within 5 miles makes recovery of the FDR strait forward. A location update every 30 seconds easily provides that and looks like a lot of data. But, to really reconstruct a crash you need a lot more data including control surfaces etc, which is where the FDR comes in.
mast 8y ago
The Iridium Next satellite constellation is new. SpaceX just launched the final 10 satellites in January 2019. Even if MH370 had their transponders turned on, it wouldn't have helped. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/14/iridium-aireon-satellites-gave-faa-key-data-in-737-max-investigation.html https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/14/iridium-aireon-satellites-ga...
js2 8y ago
Today's precise satellite location data is in part a response to MH370's disappearance: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34793274 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34793274 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mh370-how-can-we-stop-losing-airplanes/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mh370-how-can-we-stop-losing-ai... https://www.forbes.com/sites/rmark/2019/03/04/five-years-malaysia-370-disappear/#3d0829e82c7b https://www.forbes.com/sites/rmark/2019/03/04/five-years-mal...
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]

How is it we have such precise satellite location data on these crashes - but MH370 can just disappear.

tus87 8y ago

Didn't you read the part about the transponder being switched off?

jdsully 8y ago
My understanding is this was more precise data than ADS-B. Perhaps I’m wrong - I’m legitimately asking.
sowbug 8y ago
Please see the "In Comments" section of https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html. Writing "The transponder was switched off" would contribute the same substance to the conversation but without the insinuation.

jimktrains2 8y ago

It was my understanding that all/most/all-controllable radios were shutoff at some point. There was some maintenance data from the engines that factored into the search location, but otherwise it wasn't transmitting anything. I havn't followed very closely, so take that with salt, but it's a starting place if anything.

Retric 8y ago

A flight data recorder provides a lot of information. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_recorder https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_recorder We could stream this information via satellite uplink. Instead Radar and transponders is used to keep a close enough location to make recovery generally strait forward. It’s really turning off the transponder while over the middle of the ocean that’s the issue for MH370.

0xffff2 8y ago
It's my understanding from various reporting I've heard on this subject that the location data that is the subject of the OP is in fact data that is reported live via satellite comms, not data that has been retrieved from the FDR.
- Retric 8y ago
  I am talking about a difference in resolution. Locating a crash within 5 miles makes recovery of the FDR strait forward. A location update every 30 seconds easily provides that and looks like a lot of data. But, to really reconstruct a crash you need a lot more data including control surfaces etc, which is where the FDR comes in.

mast 8y ago

The Iridium Next satellite constellation is new. SpaceX just launched the final 10 satellites in January 2019. Even if MH370 had their transponders turned on, it wouldn't have helped. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/14/iridium-aireon-satellites-gave-faa-key-data-in-737-max-investigation.html https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/14/iridium-aireon-satellites-ga...

js2 8y ago

Today's precise satellite location data is in part a response to MH370's disappearance: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34793274 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34793274 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mh370-how-can-we-stop-losing-airplanes/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mh370-how-can-we-stop-losing-ai... https://www.forbes.com/sites/rmark/2019/03/04/five-years-malaysia-370-disappear/#3d0829e82c7b https://www.forbes.com/sites/rmark/2019/03/04/five-years-mal...

deleted 8y ago

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