# Chile to Auckland flight missed by space debris **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 28, 2007, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chile-to-auckland-flight-missed-by-space-debris/397800 "2007-03-28T07:03:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dynamitedave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed655f/32.png) [@dynamitedave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dynamitedave)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chile-to-auckland-flight-missed-by-space-debris/397800/1 "2007-03-28T07:03:27Z")
Almost headline news tonight, an A340 (Chilian (sp) airline) had debris from a Russian satellite going past 8km in front and behind the plane, according to the pilot. Though not sure how you’d be able to judge distances. It’s a big area out there, the chances of the two flight paths interecting like that must be small, but the chance of physical contact with the plane has to be vanishing small. Russia uses the South Pacific as their dumping ground for space junk. They inform us of expected incoming, but this time were out by 12 hours :eek: Nothing said whether the satellite re-entered early, or someone screwed up converting to the time zone :smack: Can’t yet find a link, news must be too fresh, even though it was almost 24 hours ago :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chile-to-auckland-flight-missed-by-space-debris/397800/2 "2007-03-28T07:09:39Z")
[Link](http://www.smh.com.au/news/travel/jets-flaming-space-junk-scare/2007/03/28/1174761528947.html) ---
**Author:** ![dynamitedave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed655f/32.png) [@dynamitedave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dynamitedave)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chile-to-auckland-flight-missed-by-space-debris/397800/3 "2007-03-28T07:19:26Z")
[QUOTE=Cunctator] [Link](http://www.smh.com.au/news/travel/jets-flaming-space-junk-scare/2007/03/28/1174761528947.html) [/QUOTE] Thanks! Didn’t think to check Oz sites :smack: TV news people still don’t have it on their site :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chile-to-auckland-flight-missed-by-space-debris/397800/4 "2007-03-28T07:23:31Z")
[QUOTE=dynamitedave] They inform us of expected incoming, but this time were out by 12 hours [/QUOTE] When you say “us” who are you? Air traffic control? ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chile-to-auckland-flight-missed-by-space-debris/397800/5 "2007-03-28T07:31:36Z")
[QUOTE=GuanoLad] When you say “us” who are you? Air traffic control? [/QUOTE] Perhaps **dynamitedave** is using “us” collectively to refer to the people in this part of the world. ---
**Author:** ![dynamitedave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed655f/32.png) [@dynamitedave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dynamitedave)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chile-to-auckland-flight-missed-by-space-debris/397800/6 "2007-03-28T07:37:36Z")
[QUOTE=GuanoLad] When you say “us” who are you? Air traffic control? [/QUOTE] :smack: Sorry, “us” as in NZ has control of that part of the ocean. Me involved in ATC would result in the re-definition of the term “Mega-Death” 😃 And I see **Cunctator** has beat me to it 😃 Cheers mate!