The Delta 1, 2nd Stage (launched 1975) explosion (1991) debris
The “Andromeda in a crowded Sky” image
www.flickr.com/photos/kees-scherer/48847775697/
, APOD 14 oct 2019 :
apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap191014.html
shows many satellite trails. The image above shows 1 of the 223 sub-exposures with 4 parallel trails close together. The exact date and time of the image and the location on Earth have been used on Calsky.com to determine that these trails are from a group of debris from the explosion that occurred on may 1, 1991 in the 2nd Delta 1 stage of the Delta 2910 Nimbus 6 Launch vehicle. This was the eighth Delta 2nd Stage to experience a severe fragmentation. The event occurred nearly 191 months after the successful deployment of the Nimbus 6 payload on june 12, 1975 . Cause of the explosion is assessed to be related to the estimated 245 kg of residual propellants on board and characteristics of the sun-synchronous orbit. This group (Delta 1 DEB 21368 1975-052CN ) is one of many groups with over 350 fragments in total.
The worst debris generating incidents have been:
1) Destruction of the Chinese Fengyun 1-C (FE-1C) as anti-satellite capability demonstration by the Chinese Government on January 11, 2007 :>300.000 fragments.
2) The collision of the Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251 satellites on February 10, 2009 :> 200.000 fragments.
The Fragmentation of the Nimbus 6 Rocket Body:
ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19940012031
"Understanding Space Debris":
aerospace.org/sites/default/files/2019-04/Crosslink%20Fal...
The Delta 1, 2nd Stage (launched 1975) explosion (1991) debris
The “Andromeda in a crowded Sky” image
www.flickr.com/photos/kees-scherer/48847775697/
, APOD 14 oct 2019 :
apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap191014.html
shows many satellite trails. The image above shows 1 of the 223 sub-exposures with 4 parallel trails close together. The exact date and time of the image and the location on Earth have been used on Calsky.com to determine that these trails are from a group of debris from the explosion that occurred on may 1, 1991 in the 2nd Delta 1 stage of the Delta 2910 Nimbus 6 Launch vehicle. This was the eighth Delta 2nd Stage to experience a severe fragmentation. The event occurred nearly 191 months after the successful deployment of the Nimbus 6 payload on june 12, 1975 . Cause of the explosion is assessed to be related to the estimated 245 kg of residual propellants on board and characteristics of the sun-synchronous orbit. This group (Delta 1 DEB 21368 1975-052CN ) is one of many groups with over 350 fragments in total.
The worst debris generating incidents have been:
1) Destruction of the Chinese Fengyun 1-C (FE-1C) as anti-satellite capability demonstration by the Chinese Government on January 11, 2007 :>300.000 fragments.
2) The collision of the Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251 satellites on February 10, 2009 :> 200.000 fragments.
The Fragmentation of the Nimbus 6 Rocket Body:
ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19940012031
"Understanding Space Debris":
aerospace.org/sites/default/files/2019-04/Crosslink%20Fal...