Live data from Hacker News

Unexpected solar weather is accelerating satellites' orbital decay

space.com

1–10 of 106 posts

Re: Unexpected solar weather is accelerating satellites' orbital decay

#3
post #2

Is the word "plummet" really appropriate here? They're talking about falling at a rate of 0.001mph, which is much faster than expected but hardly a "plummet."

I don’t really pay attention that closely, but space.com is a common theme when i see hacky stories about space/astronomy.

Re: Unexpected solar weather is accelerating satellites' orbital decay

#5
post #2

Is the word "plummet" really appropriate here? They're talking about falling at a rate of 0.001mph, which is much faster than expected but hardly a "plummet."

Just finished reading the article with the exact same question in mind.

Plummet gets the clicks though, so to the website, it is appropriate.

It could also be argued it's a sense of perspective. Something that falls at the rate of 2km per year suddenly in a matter of months starts to fall at a rate of 20km per year could seem like plummeting when you're the one tasked with keeping it alive or the person that paid for it to be there for 10 years to see it suddenly shortened to 2 years. It's a stretch, but we all love hyperbole

Re: Unexpected solar weather is accelerating satellites' orbital decay

#6
post #2

Is the word "plummet" really appropriate here? They're talking about falling at a rate of 0.001mph, which is much faster than expected but hardly a "plummet."

Pop-sci articles... Always disappointing

But dang, they sure made me fall in love with science, as a kid.

Re: Unexpected solar weather is accelerating satellites' orbital decay

#7
post #2

Is the word "plummet" really appropriate here? They're talking about falling at a rate of 0.001mph, which is much faster than expected but hardly a "plummet."

Pop-sci articles... Always disappointing

Was this one disappointing? Maybe if you're going by the title alone, which granted was the original question. However, it was a decent enough explanation for the target audience of the site.

Re: Unexpected solar weather is accelerating satellites' orbital decay

#8
post #2

Is the word "plummet" really appropriate here? They're talking about falling at a rate of 0.001mph, which is much faster than expected but hardly a "plummet."

Well at that rate, it will crash into the Earth in…never

Re: Unexpected solar weather is accelerating satellites' orbital decay

#9
post #2

Is the word "plummet" really appropriate here? They're talking about falling at a rate of 0.001mph, which is much faster than expected but hardly a "plummet."

I'm surprised they didn't go all out and call 'solar weather' 'extreme nuclear explosion activity on the sun'. I'm mean, if its for the clicks, why not.
Post reply on HN