How To Destroy $135 Million Almost Instantly

from the drop-a-satellite dept

Whoops. Last year, workers at Lockheed Martin, attempting to move a $239 million satellite, dropped the satellite 3 whole feet, causing $135 million worth of damages. An investigation into the matter now blames workers who failed to follow anything resembling procedure in checking to see if the device was secured before moving it. Still, who sets up a $200+ million satellite in a way that a simple 3 foot drop will cause $135 million worth of damages?
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  1. identicon
    Chomper, 6 Oct 2004 @ 12:05pm

    No Subject Given

    hmmm...victim of outsourcing?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    Dave Moore, 6 Oct 2004 @ 1:53pm

    3 foot drop...

    Probably all satellites are set up this way. Reinforcing, and shock protection would add mass, which is extremely expensive when you're trying to lift the thing into orbit. Most likely, all satellites are basically built to deal with exactly the amount of stress that occurs at takeoff. Anything extra is just wasted weight, assuming you have competent handlers on the ground. Apparently not a good assumption in this case...

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 6 Oct 2004 @ 2:54pm

    Re: 3 foot drop...

    uhhh. satellite launches involve 6+Gs of force. its pretty extreme. I don't think 3 feet makes sense. of course if its impact was all on one corner, etc...? I still have a hard time believing it. probably they were just a little short of their revenue numbers for the month ;-)

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. identicon
    Richard Jones, 6 Oct 2004 @ 3:18pm

    Satellites are fragile...

    "Still, who sets up a $200+ million satellite in a way that a simple 3 foot drop will cause $135 million worth of damages?"
    Uh, no-one if they follow procedures...

    Satellites are fragile. They have bracing and internal chassis that holds them together during relocation and launch (about 24 bolts, apparently), but their "skin" is usually a mixture of extremely expensive solar collectors, reflective material, antennae, and given that it's a weather satellite, high precision optics (the article mentioned that two such instruments were damaged), ... the list goes on. Satellites are also usually heavy - so letting them fall a meter gives a fair bit of momentum to bash in some of those expensive bits sticking out - thus damaging internal componentry as well.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. identicon
    Ian Paul Freely, 6 Oct 2004 @ 5:41pm

    More than 3 feet

    It fell off a platform 3 foot high - and fell on it's side. Looked to be maybe 12-16 foot tall. That means the top fell more than 3 feet -more like 15.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    ken walker, 6 Oct 2004 @ 7:52pm

    OOOP's

    ARE ALL ENVOLVED AMERICAN NATIONALS??????????????

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. identicon
    F.Baube, 7 Oct 2004 @ 10:41am

    Satellite Doom with a View

    Wow, to be a fly on the wall at THAT stunt.
    Maybe there's some securitycam tapes floating around, let's hope something appears. It'd be a perfect start to a new season of "America's Funniest Corporate Videos".

    link to this | view in thread ]


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