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> A graveyard orbit sounds like it will be flying around up their indefinitely as high speed shrapnel. Does anyone know why they would choose this instead of de
by orclev 7y ago
> A graveyard orbit sounds like it will be flying around up their indefinitely as high speed shrapnel. Does anyone know why they would choose this instead of destroying it on re-entry?
It sounds like there's confusion about that point. The article says that the plan says that they're going to de-orbit the satellite so it can burn up on reentry, and that it will be in a graveyard orbit, which are contradictory objectives to each other. It sounds like AT&T hasn't responded yet to clarify which of the two they actually meant.
- zentiggr 7y agoI think in this case the use of 'de-orbit' only means removing it from its in-service geosynchronous orbit, to the graveyard orbit. De-orbit down around usual LEO altitudes is more drag-effect, you will return to Earth soon enough anyway.