# What's Chinese for "Incoming!" ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 30, 2018, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465 "2018-03-30T10:00:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/21 "2018-03-30T20:10:21Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > I have little to add besides the fact that I had to look up the word “boffins.” It even _sounds_ British. The word “boffin” always makes me think of an old Jimmy Stewart movie, “No Highway in the Sky,” where JS plays a scientist investigating metal fatigue in airplanes (for a British lab). He and the other “boffins” got called that mostly affectionately. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/22 "2018-03-30T20:40:16Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > [You think??](http://spaceflight101.com/chinese-villagers-capture-falling-long-march-rocket-booster-on-video/) > > :eek: [The](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/1336392/Siberians-blighted-by-space-junk.html) [Russians](https://www.deseretnews.com/article/799987/Siberian-villagers-being-sickened-by-rocket-debris.html), [too](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-19127713). ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/23 "2018-03-30T23:12:52Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > So does ‘snog,’ a delightfully delicious word. > > The ESA has a nifty [graphic](https://img.purch.com/h/1400/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5zcGFjZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA3NS8yOTUvb3JpZ2luYWwvdGlhbmdvbmctMS1yZWVudHJ5LW1hcC1lc2EuanBnPzE1MjIzNjM3NjY=) showing the impact zone, the population at each latitude, and the impact probability at each latitude. Of course latitude is only part of the story; longitude is apparently much harder to predict. Statistically, it will probably fall into an ocean. > [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > Last I heard it was due to fall into Oregon, which that article does not mention. Unlikely, since the southern border of Oregon is at 42nd parallel north, and therefore just barely inside the projected latitudes for impact. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/24 "2018-03-30T23:44:04Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > As to the OP question, apparently (according to google translate) means “coming soon”, which I guess is close enough. I knew someone would be able to answer my facetious question :). Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/25 "2018-03-31T04:13:05Z")
There’s a good tracker for this here: [http://www.heavens-above.com/GroundTrack.aspx](http://www.heavens-above.com/GroundTrack.aspx) I think the chances of it coming down anywhere in the US are pretty remote ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/26 "2018-03-31T16:08:10Z")
A more common and simpler way of saying “Its coming!” or even “Its here!” would be “来了!” (Lai le!). People would say this the moment they were actually witnessing the reentry. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/27 "2018-03-31T17:27:13Z")
Here’s a simple [site](http://www.aerospace.org/cords/reentry-predictions/tiangong-1-reentry/) to track possible re-entry paths. The current est. re-entry midpoint is N. of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. That would be an okay splash site. For the current projection, the orbits going backwards pass W. of N. America twice. The one before those grazes the US SW. The one before that one crosses from about Oregon to Florida. Later orbits all pass well of the US west coast for a while. Keep watching the skies. (Wait, we have more than one sky?) ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/28 "2018-03-31T21:23:39Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Here’s a simple [site](http://www.aerospace.org/cords/reentry-predictions/tiangong-1-reentry/) to track possible re-entry paths. > > The current est. re-entry midpoint is N. of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. That would be an okay splash site. > > For the current projection, the orbits going backwards pass W. of N. America twice. The one before those grazes the US SW. The one before that one crosses from about Oregon to Florida. > > Later orbits all pass well of the US west coast for a while. > > Keep watching the skies. (Wait, we have more than one sky?) Now it’s predicting smack dab in the middle of Africa Those are biiiig error bars! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/29 "2018-03-31T21:45:16Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Now it’s predicting smack dab in the middle of Africa > > Those are biiiig error bars! \ But they’re getting smaller. The latest one has the center of the zone over central Asia (I think, hard to see when the lines bunch up). Apparently N. America is pretty much completely outside the current range. Africa and Asia are looking interesting. “I bless the rains down in Africa.” Raining what, exactly? No flaming streak for me tomorrow night. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/30 "2018-03-31T21:57:32Z")
Yeah, it looks like my own chances of seeing splashdown are pretty much nixed too. _Sigh_ I remember going out to see Skylab come down. Didn’t see much then either (at least, not that I can remember now) I went out last night to try to catch it pass by when the tracker said it should be coming over, but couldn’t see a thing. Is it just too small? Or maybe I should have anticipated the official tracker position by 15 mins or so ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/31 "2018-03-31T22:00:40Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > When I was a kid, Spacelab fell out of orbit. I was _terrified_. I had this incredible fear that it was going to hit our house. I was 5 or 6 I guess… I have the exact same memory. My dad managed to scare the hell out of me when explaining the Spacelab news. One of the most memorable nightmares of my life was me seeing it about to land in front of my apartment complex. Goes to show you how little kids can comprehend the size of the world. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/32 "2018-04-01T00:36:23Z")
One of my earliest memories of world events (maybe _the_ earilest) is the brouhaha over Skylab. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/33 "2018-04-01T00:37:11Z")
Tiangong is smaller than the first Russian Salyut station. I’m not overly worried about pieces of it surviving reentry intact. If anyone is interested a model kit is available. I’ve built one. [http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=TOY-SCL2-14157](http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=TOY-SCL2-14157) ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/34 "2018-04-01T01:28:07Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > The Chinese seem to be somewhat cavalier about flight hazards and safety. They’ve also left a number of objects in non-graveyard orbits that have to be tracked. Of course, the US and USSR did this, too, in the early days of spaceflight before anyone appreciated the potential for damage and hazard but now we know better and most nations and operators agree to standard protocols to minimize hazards. The Chinese have basically not agreed to any of those and do as they please, which will be ‘interesting’ the first time they drop something in a populated area. > > Stranger “We live in interesting times” What can you boffins do in Oregon about a Chinese space station crashing on your head? Sweet fuck all. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/35 "2018-04-01T08:44:57Z")
I asked my native Taiwanese wife the translation for “incoming.” As she’s not particularly a fan of war moving, we agreed to what someone would say in gym class when a ball is about to hit your head. “Aaaahhh.” I’m not sure which characters are used. Alas, she was not anymore helpful when attempting to find an equivalent word for “boffin.” I’m beginning to suspect she really doesn’t speak correct Mandarin. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/36 "2018-04-01T14:38:01Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Here’s a simple [site](http://www.aerospace.org/cords/reentry-predictions/tiangong-1-reentry/) to track possible re-entry paths. Wow, they just updated and the new window is down to only 3+ orbits. 00:10 UTC (8:10 EDT) ±2.5 hours tonight. The center of the window is over the Pacific. Africa, Central Asia and a bit of S. America are still under the gun. N. America looks completely clear. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/37 "2018-04-01T15:58:00Z")
Wouldn’t it be amazing if this was the most elaborate April Fool’s joke ever and they fire the thrusters and send it back into a proper orbit? ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/38 "2018-04-02T00:22:14Z")
We probably need to change the subject of this thread to “What’s Spanish for ‘Incoming!’” She’s into her final orbit, and is predicted to re-enter just off the west coast of South America as the southern-most portion of her orbit. With a long debris trail, some portions of the station might strike land. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/39 "2018-04-02T00:29:23Z")
Altitude is 149 km. It will fall at what, 100 km? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465/40 "2018-04-02T00:39:02Z")
Just [missed South America](http://www.heavens-above.com/GroundTrack.aspx) at 144 km. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-chinese-for-incoming/811465.md?page=3)