Amateur astronomer captures lost NASA tool bag on video

by Stevie Smith - Nov 26 2008, 13:00

Lost NASA tool bag tracked and caught on camera. Image: Clinton Steeds/Flickr.

After helplessly watching an expensive NASA tool bag drift clear of her flailing grasp during a recent maintenance space walk outside the orbiting International Space Station (ISS), the galactic gaff of American astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper is now being tracked by a Canadian amateur astronomer.

Specifically, budding star gazer Kevin Fetter of Brockville, Ontario, claims to have used nothing more than his amateur equipment and enthusiast knowledge to accurately calculate the positioning of Stefanyshyn-Piper's $100,000 USD orbiting tool bag before then capturing its movements on camera.

“I don't have any [professional] background in astronomy,” revealed Mr. Fetter while speaking to Australian publication The Age of Melbourne. “Just one night I looked up at the night sky and got hooked on astronomy. It was many years later that I started satellite observing.”

According to Mr. Fetter, he was able to locate the positioning of NASA's missing tool bag by using an orbital calculator found on astronomy Web site SpaceWeather.com, with which he was then able to determine when the bag would be passing overhead.

In terms of subsequently capturing the tool bag on video, Mr. Fetter said that success was largely dependent on the physical size of the object and exactly how much surface light it reflected while moving across the night sky.

However, the part-time astronomer claims to have struck it lucky with his efforts and posted the resulting footage to video-sharing Web site YouTube for all to see.

“It was easily 8th magnitude or brighter as it passed by the 4th magnitude star eta Pisces,” said Mr. Fetter in his YouTube description.

Those worried about being struck on the head by a flaming grease gun or solar panel wrench should take solace from space experts who say the NASA tool bag will burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere when it finally loses orbit.

Somewhat more of a concern until that happens is the potential risk it poses for the crew of the International Space Station, the docked space shuttle Endeavour, and orbiting satellites.

Comment on this Story

Interested in a more interactive TTH? Join our Facebook Group
Want regular updates from The Tech Herald? Follow us on Twitter

Comment on this Story

Note our older Talkback system is still running below. We hope to import existing comments into the new system shortly. Guest posting is still allowed, however, you can now login with any number of social network accounts.

Talkback

Add your comment (no registration required)

page: 1

Jim CliffeNov 26th, 2008 - 16:52:07

It's no surprise that Kevin Fetter made this remarkable observation. Most of the 'amateur' astronomers of today are working with tools and knowledge that would have placed them in the elite of the science a hundred years ago. As well, Canadians are (for some reason) especially good at astronomy.

Bravo! Wonderful accomplishment.

Report this comment

ScottNov 26th, 2008 - 17:06:38

How can the bag be a risk for the ISS or the space shuttle? The relative velocity of the bag is very similar in speed to both vehicles. There would be some danger to other satellites but anything in the same orbit has approximately the same velocity...

Report this comment

toolbag as projectileNov 26th, 2008 - 17:53:34

I would expect the density of the ISS to be less than that of the toolkit (not sure though) so the ISS should lose altitude faster than the toolkit. Then when the ISS raises its altitude back up again (as it does periodically) it needs to avoid this toolkit. The difference in speed could be as much as 1% or about 2000 mph.

Because everything larger than a few inches across is tracked this is just one more space debris item to avoid among tens of thousands.

Report this comment

GMLNov 26th, 2008 - 18:18:40

Is this tool bag in the same orbit as the shuttle and could it collide with the shuttle and damage it like a military projectile as that
fired from a tank ?. And how fast is it traveling ?.

Report this comment

Larry WheelsNov 27th, 2008 - 01:10:44

I have a tool kit at home that costs a lot less than 100,000. Maybe Nasa should buy their tools at
Wal-Mart and save some money. You can buy a little piece of string at a dollar store that could have worked to keep her tool kit from floating away.

Report this comment

fatdaddyNov 27th, 2008 - 03:48:59

Try using those Walmart tools in zero g while wearing a space suit ...

Report this comment

Björn GimleNov 27th, 2008 - 21:25:08

Density alone is not the important factor - it's the surface area (in travel direction) / mass.
An object of half the size, 'will' have 1/4 the surface area, but 1/8 of the mass, so it will decay twice as fast.

Report this comment

William KauterNov 28th, 2008 - 00:59:20

Before astronaut floates away, maybe NASA could use this toolbag to work on a recovery technique.

Report this comment

Pharm22Dec 19th, 2008 - 16:55:27

Very nice site!

Report this comment

page: 1

Add your comment (no registration required)