Lights of unknown objects over Phuket sea

[Thaivisa News]

Phuket:- Local residents and tourists in the southern island resort province of Phuket spotted lights of unknown objects in the sky over Phuket Sea Saturday night, leading to a search for a possible crashed plane.

Thairath Online reported that many Phuket residents called the tourist’s emergency center of the Phuket Provincial Administration to report that they saw several big lights of unidentified objects before they disappeared into the sea.

The skipper of a fishing boat informed the center that he believed the lights disappeared into the sea about 20 kilometers off the beach in front of the Phuket International Airport.

Following the calls, Kecha Krohlek, the head of Moo 2 village in Tambon Choeng Thalay, took out a boat with rescuers to search the spot because the skipper believed the lights belonged to a crashing plane. The search was called off four hours later as no debris was found.

The lights were also seen by people on Kata beach, Karon beach, and Rawai beach. Some took photos and video clips with their mobile phones. Thairath said some local residents suggested that the fires might be caused by a naga, the large-large-snake-like creature in Thai literature.

But some officials told Thairath that the lights might be burning and falling parts of the PSLV-C27 rocket launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR in India.

Earlier, the Science Ministry has alerted provinces on the Andaman coast that falling parts of the rocket could land on the Andaman Sea any day from March 9 to April 8. The ministry said the rocket used for delivering an Indian satellite to its orbit will pass over the sea from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

[BigBadGeordie]

An Indian rocket! Sounds like bull to me, it was a big mythical snake thingy for sure.

[cloudhopper]

http://www.spaceflight101.com/pslv-c27-launch-updates---irnss-1d.html

[hansgruber]

I snapped a few pics of it. Got some nice hi resolution ones but too big too attach.

It flashed so bright on re-entry.

[jamie obda]

It was the naga, come to warn tuk-tuks about their evil ways. Or, OTOH, it was Phosop to warn of shitty rice harvest.

[NongKhaiKid]

Mabye just the PM's star rising even higher.

[Lite Beer]

Satellite debris found in Phuket waters

Eakkapop Thongtub

Photo: dobrepole.com.ua

PHUKET: -- Several pieces of debris from an Indian satellite were discovered by Royal Thai Navy personnel floating in the waters off western Phuket yesterday (March 28).

The satellite debris come from the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), that was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India yesterday (March 28) approximately 8pm Thai time. The debris fell about 240km off shore from the Phuket International Airport.

The PSLV is carrying the Indian Regional Nagivational Satellite System (IRNSS- 1D), which is intended to bring India "closer to setting up its own navigation system on par with the GPS of the US," according to the Times of India.

The Royal Thai Navy had previously warned fishermen, tour companies and other marine vessels about the potential for falling debris.

The landing area of the debris:

9°15’00”N 94°45’00”E

10°05’00”N 95°05’00”E

9°45’00”N 96°00’00”E

and 8°55’00”N 95°40’00”E.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/satellite-debris-found-in-phuket-waters-51628.php

-- Phuket News 2015-03-29

[jimstar1]

M H 730 anything possible in land of smiles

[Somtamnication]

Those pesky falangs. Always upsetting the locals!

[soalbundy]

Satellite debris found in Phuket waters

Eakkapop Thongtub

Photo: dobrepole.com.ua

PHUKET: -- Several pieces of debris from an Indian satellite were discovered by Royal Thai Navy personnel floating in the waters off western Phuket yesterday (March 28).

The satellite debris come from the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), that was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India yesterday (March 28) approximately 8pm Thai time. The debris fell about 240km off shore from the Phuket International Airport.

The PSLV is carrying the Indian Regional Nagivational Satellite System (IRNSS- 1D), which is intended to bring India "closer to setting up its own navigation system on par with the GPS of the US," according to the Times of India.

The Royal Thai Navy had previously warned fishermen, tour companies and other marine vessels about the potential for falling debris.

The landing area of the debris:

9°15’00”N 94°45’00”E

10°05’00”N 95°05’00”E

9°45’00”N 96°00’00”E

and 8°55’00”N 95°40’00”E.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/satellite-debris-found-in-phuket-waters-51628.php

-- Phuket News 2015-03-29

yeah right but they didn't warn us about the Naga though, typical.

[monkey4u]

Maybe it was ET doing a fly by to check out the night life for his next holiday

[thhMan]

Great work India...

Sure your Rocket had problems, but your showing the world that you can do it....

Thailand... dont forget you ignored and gave NASA the run around and a lot of BS when they approached you

[slipperylobster]

Space Shwarmas !!!

[jtTamad]

Indians have the bomb now by tricking the CIA. Covered it all up when the "secret" spy satellite came over.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[orosee]

Well the satellite made it successfully to orbit, so the Phuket Gazette might want to read up on the Wiki pages for "satellite" and "rocket" - they're not the same thing :-P

Probably secondary boosters and/or first stage debris from within the atmosphere, I'm still trying to find a launch trajectory graphic.

[willyumiii]

Interesting.

I am not a physicist, and I do not understand why debris from a rocket or satellite could possibly fall for such a long period of time.

You could call March 9 - April 8 a month.

How high was the stuff falling from and why not come down all at one time?

[IAMHERE]

Complain to the Indians, that is too close.

[MW72]

Mabye just the PM's star rising even higher.

Or even crashing back down to earth in a ball of fire.

[PJ33]

I remember reading the warning last week about the debris being forecast to land near to Phuket when the satellite launched. I can't remember where I read it but it was probably here on TV.

It's a shame the would-be-rescue-boat had a wasted journey - and it seems very few people appear to have been aware what was about to happen despite the warning.

It appears no-one seems to have been hurt by their ignorance.... so all is well :-)

[PJ33]

Yep here is the original warning:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/809207-navy-warns-of-space-debris-landing-near-phuket/

...2 weeks ago...how time flies !!

[long klong]

Some of the snide remarks here are uncalled for. Those of you who have decided to live here must realize that you are doing no favour to Thailand. You live here to make the most of your pension. So get rid of your colonial attitude towards Thailand and Asia. Your remark about the Indian Satellite is a not only a reflection of your s racial bias but a reaffirmation that you find meaning in your miserable life in Thailand by feeling superior to the Asians. Back home you are nobody and if you make silly remarks like these in your local pub, they will kick you out. Maybe Thailand should do the same.

[windas]

Ooooooooooooh who got their knickers in a knot then. Give it a rest its only humour.

[poweratradio]

Indians have the bomb now by tricking the CIA. Covered it all up when the "secret" spy satellite came over.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

It has always been common knowledge that they had the bomb. Pretty hard not to have the bomb in every country when the higher education system is all about attracting high paying international students...

How about the 15 year old whiz kid who invented or made a pint sized fusion reactor in his garage from internet study alone. The invention was heralded as the next generation propulsion systems for space vehicles.

[englishoak]

Your all wrong. Obviously it was the arrival of the new baby jesus....

[fgmr]

Satellite debris found in Phuket waters

Eakkapop Thongtub

Photo: dobrepole.com.ua

PHUKET: -- Several pieces of debris from an Indian satellite were discovered by Royal Thai Navy personnel floating in the waters off western Phuket yesterday (March 28).

The satellite debris come from the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), that was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India yesterday (March 28) approximately 8pm Thai time. The debris fell about 240km off shore from the Phuket International Airport.

The PSLV is carrying the Indian Regional Nagivational Satellite System (IRNSS- 1D), which is intended to bring India "closer to setting up its own navigation system on par with the GPS of the US," according to the Times of India.

The Royal Thai Navy had previously warned fishermen, tour companies and other marine vessels about the potential for falling debris.

The landing area of the debris:

9°15’00”N 94°45’00”E

10°05’00”N 95°05’00”E

9°45’00”N 96°00’00”E

and 8°55’00”N 95°40’00”E.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/satellite-debris-found-in-phuket-waters-51628.php

-- Phuket News 2015-03-29

A fisherman says the lights fell 20 km from the airport, - The Thai Navy is quoted as stating the debris fell about 240km off shore from the Phuket International Airport. Perhaps there were two separate events! Are Navy personnel issued afree dram or two every night?

[maidee]

apu (simpsons) sent to space ?

first 7/11 in space ?

[bendejo]

The Indian rocket story is too fanciful, I'll stick with the mythical snake.

[LivinginKata]

Off topic inflammatory posts being removed.

[stevehaigh]

Interesting.

I am not a physicist, and I do not understand why debris from a rocket or satellite could possibly fall for such a long period of time.

You could call March 9 - April 8 a month.

How high was the stuff falling from and why not come down all at one time?

must have been in an unstable orbit

[orosee]

Guys, you must have seen at least a few rocket launches in your lifetime, Space Shuttle, Ariane, etc.Plus the "made for TV audiences" animations, graphical descriptions in newspapers and magazines, what not all.

The Indian rocket has a solid fuel first stage with a number of solid fuel boosters attached - some have two lines of boosters that fire in sequence. What happens is that the first stage plus boosters are fired (the first, main stage may also be fired a bit later than the boosters), the boosters burn until they run out of fuel, and the mass of the empty boosters is jettisoned after what could be 2 to 5 minutes, at a height that could be 20-30 km. Since rockets don't go up straight but at an angle so that they can pick up the horizontal speed necessary for a stable orbit, when the first boosters are jettisoned the rocket might be going as fast as 3,000 km/h - so these things won't fall straight down, but continue to fly for a decent amount of time before hitting the ground (or water). The main first stage will eventually also burn out (a lot higher now, and faster) and eventually plunge into the ocean, this time the Pacific. The separation of boosters and main stages will often create a plume of gases and trailing smoke, such as the ones that can be seen very nicely on the photos on the first page.

Now according to the Indian website on the GPS project (they also have the accurate numbers to my estimates), the satellite made orbit successfully. The satellite is a tiny thing of 5-10% of the total mass of the rocket, sitting on top of the launch vehicle. Everything below the satellite is the rocket. The Phuket newspapers talking about "satellite debris" are morons because if there would be real satellite parts 240 km off Phuket (or 20, whatever), then the ENTIRE rocket must have come down with it. Possibly wrestled down by an angry naga. But, it's "rocket debris". Not even "space debris", because whatever came down "near" Phuket has never been to space, it's atmospheric debris. Boosters, since there's more than one. Or maybe the first stage separation, depending on distances, height and speed.

*Just looked at the photos again and there's only one cloud streak, so most likely stage 1-2 separation. That should be sufficient to lob the debris from India to Thailand.

Edited March 30, 2015 by orosee