Discovered by the Asteroid Tracking Network while still in orbit around the sun, the asteroid was first predicted to make an extremely low pass through Kerbin’s atmosphere just 10km above the surface. Once it entered our SOI 3 days before the event, revised observations showed it would be passing almost 17km over land, which was still within a thick portion of the atmosphere. Scientists set up seismic detectors and microphones along the entry corridor to pickup any impacts or mid-air explosions. All that was recorded was the pressure wave and sonic booms as the asteroid made it through intact, aerobraking into a capture orbit around Kerbin. It was re-discovered later the following day. The following timeline chronicles its journey. Clicking on the bookmark icon will save your spot so you can return at any time to pick up where you left off.
Kerbal Space Agency
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ATN ALERT! 2 C-asteroids w/ Pe low in atmo. Will know more upon SOI entry 5/23 & 6/20. Early predictions show atmo entry opp side of Kerbin
Kerbal Space Agency
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PSA: scammers are at it again. You do not need an emergency survival kit for the impending asteroid encounters. Ignore the offers!!
Kerbal Space Agency
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Class-C asteriods have a good chance making it thru atmo but sometimes don't & these are entering shallow enough to most likely burn up
Kerbal Space Agency
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regardless, any impact would be localized to a ~200km radius and would be on the *opposite side of Kerbin*. So calm down, everyone! /PSA
Kerbal Space Agency
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bit.ly/ATN-DB_5-22-17 has been posted w/588 total asteroids. Tomorrow we should hear details on FZX-816(C)'s upcoming atmo entry
Kerbal Space Agency
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KNN late day segment hosting our Lead Scientist Cheranne to explain the facts about the 2 upcoming asteroid encounters in 30 min. Tune in!
Kerbal Space Agency
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everyone clamoring for asteroid news today will just have to wait - FZX-816(C) is not due to cross over into our SOI until around 00:00 UTC
Kerbal Space Agency
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we have confirmation from ATN that astronomers have FZX-816(C) in sight as Kerbin rotates around to face it, making observations (obsv) now
Kerbal Space Agency
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results of obsv: higher Pe than expected, dive thru atmo on opp side of Kerbin. Most likely will break up & burn up before hitting ground
Kerbal Space Agency
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again, NO IMMEDIATE DANGER TO KERBALS! latest scam: No, you do not need air filters when visiting the surface after the event occurs
Kerbal Space Agency
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kerbs have been showing up to pray at the Monolith to ask for deliverance & that the oncoming asteroids be diverted away from Kerbin
Kerbal Space Agency
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we should note these kerbs come by their own means & camp nearby, we do not host pilgrims @ KSC or Support Village for security reasons
Kerbal Space Agency
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FZX-816(C) is scheduled to enter the atmosphere around 22:00 UTC. Once again, threat to kerbal civilization is ZERO - Ockr is closest city
Kerbal Space Agency
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scientists left Ockr earlier this week to place several seismic & audio stations along the entry corridor to detect impact/mid-air explosion
Kerbal Space Agency
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something should have happened to FZX-816(C) by now, but it is literally on the other side of the planet. We will not know until tomorrow
Kerbal Space Agency
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news from Ockr earlier: apparently sonic booms were heard throughout entry corridor, no air blast or ground strike. FZX-816(C) aerobraked!?
Kerbal Space Agency
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the hunt is on! Asteroid should be high in sky during night time, Kravass Observatory already looked last night cycle & will again this one
Kerbal Space Agency
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news is out: found it! IR telescope at Kravass Obsv picked up FZX-816(C)'s post-entry heat easily once they found the right place to look
Kerbal Space Agency
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they are still working out the orbit details & will need another round of study this next night cycle but location found indicates capture
Kerbal Space Agency
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holding off on our ops summary so we can include details on FZX-816(C), Kerman Observatory still looking at it right now until 4th sunrise
Kerbal Space Agency
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alright here we go - all the ops from this past week + exciting details on a newly-captured asteroid, get it here: bit.ly/OpsSummary5-22…
Kerbal Space Agency
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Kravass Observatory gearing up for yet another look at FZX-816(C), they are using the thermal signature to try & approximate its size/shape
Kerbal Space Agency
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construction at Arekibo resuming after 2 days constant rainfall, an odd weather pattern for the region that has left meteorologists puzzled
Kerbal Space Agency
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everyone say hello again to our newest captured asteroid, this time by its proper name - bit.ly/Pilirani or "persevere, endure"
Kerbal Space Agency
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earlier today at 08:40 UTC bit.ly/Pilirani_fullo… rolled through Apokee and is now on its downward fall back to Kerbin, arriving June 3rd
Kerbal Space Agency
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view from the Astronaut Complex is foreboding - most of the Lagoo Nebula covered by clouds moving in from the west. We also hear thunder
Kerbal Space Agency
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rain has begun, thunder still distant but definitely getting louder. We called Jeb at Kravass who reports weather still bad too - that's 340km away!
Kerbal Space Agency
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storm is not severe, occasional thunder & cloud lightning w/ moderate rainfall - but it seems unusually persistent, over Kravass/Umbarg too
Kerbal Space Agency
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rainfall has remained steady & moderate, no heavy rains or flash flooding - water from the mountains draining without issue into the ocean
Kerbal Space Agency
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Arekibo Radio Observatory construction site is evacuating all workers today in advance of the atmospheric re-entry of Pilirani tomorrow
Kerbal Space Agency
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builders were concerned the asteroid's pressure wave might collapse the slopes of the bowl wall, but scientists assure this won't happen
Kerbal Space Agency
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all the (known) asteroids that have passed through our system in May, with Pilirani's original hyperbolic orbit & current capture orbit
Kerbal Space Agency
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all 3 UTVs have made it back safely to KSC, wrapping up another busy week. Here are all the highlights: bit.ly/Ops_Summary5-2…
Kerbal Space Agency
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we're getting reports of a minor groundquake in Kravass & airship captains report seeing a streak of fire & bright flash north over horizon
Kerbal Space Agency
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we're waiting for the Asteroid Tracking Network to confirm 1) this was an asteroid and 2) this was *not* Pilirani. Kravass reports 0 deaths
Kerbal Space Agency
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after a rushed but careful investigation ATN has announced that temblor characteristics/ eyewitness reports indicate a minor asteroid impact
Kerbal Space Agency
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given the amount of clouds forming to the north they suspect it either impacted & vaporized lots of ocean or exploded w/ similar effect
Kerbal Space Agency
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also they can confirm that this could not be Pilirani as the trajectory is completely different. Still expecting Pilirani atmo entry today
Kerbal Space Agency
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2h30m until atmo entry & you can see where bit.ly/Pilirani will be catching up to Kerbin's rotational speed as it approaches perikee
Kerbal Space Agency
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we still can't believe, an actual asteroid strike on a day when kerbs were already semi-freaking out over one that wasn't going to impact
Kerbal Space Agency
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please, no one run the odds on this - it's already bad enough out there right now w/all the Monolith worshippers & conspiracy theorists
Kerbal Space Agency
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speaking of the worshippers, actually way less here than expected. Jeb says most @ Kravass trying to convince airships to fly to Sea Ring
Kerbal Space Agency
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apparently word now is Pilirani is really "the mothership" making repeated passes through the atmosphere to collect the "true believers"
Kerbal Space Agency
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Pilirani is about to pass through the atmosphere, traveling roughly 737km in about 3-4 minutes. Science stations set w/seismic & audio
Kerbal Space Agency
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Pilirani could now be back out in space - or a bunch of flaming debris scattered across the surface of Kerbin. We await news either way
Kerbal Space Agency
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asteriod should already be high enough for Kravass IR scope to see, but even it can't peer well enough thru thick clouds piling up overhead
Kerbal Space Agency
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we will have to wait a bit longer for scopes at Ockr to catch it on nite side. If can't be found, will wait to hear from science stations
Kerbal Space Agency
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spotted! bit.ly/Pilirani has new orbital data, will be coming back around today. It knocked its apokee from 73,809km to just 3,315km
Kerbal Space Agency
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can it survive another pass? As in, even if it stays intact can it climb back out of atmo once more? Unfortunately we may never find out
Kerbal Space Agency
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here we go again in 5min! Too soon to setup new science stations & too much water anyways. Not sure if we'll ever know what happens
Kerbal Space Agency
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and now... what? No one knows. Even if it made it out, wouldn't be visible in sky day/nite anywhere we have scopes before it came back!
Kerbal Space Agency
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BREAKING! Mariners headed to Umbarg reporting flaming trail low in the skies to the west. Bob grabbing his telephoto lens & rushing outside
Kerbal Space Agency
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NO WAY, IT'S PASSING THRU JUST WEST OF US!! Bob managed to spot it w/Val's help just in time to grab this photo as it zipped across the sky
Kerbal Space Agency
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news moved quick & some kerbs were fast enough to get topside & spot it from Sheltered Rock & Ockr as well. Rough plot of trajectory:
Kerbal Space Agency
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unfortunately the fact that Ockr saw it vanish below horizon means Pilirani's ultimate fate remains a mystery. Most likely: water impact
Kerbal Space Agency
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scientific community still abuzz, however reminders have gone out - wacky weather could be developing over these next several days. Noted!
Kerbal Space Agency
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large storm was seen forming out at sea over the last day cycle, thankfully continued off east. Could still be storms coming from west tho
Kerbal Space Agency
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weather is back to rainy & windy - we hear thunder but don't see any lightning, must be high up in the clouds. Meteor particle friction?
Kerbal Space Agency
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crummy weather still here & all thruout the region thx to asteroid passage. Airship travel taking another major hit to its schedule, delaying some of our shipments
Kerbal Space Agency
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we've heard of one airship traveling from Sheltered Rock to Kravass that got blown so far off course it had to turn back or run out of fuel!
Kerbal Space Agency
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we have temporarily cancelled shuttle bus service as winds are too high for them to safely cross the causeway. Service will resume ASAP
Kerbal Space Agency
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because astronauts are certifiable, Bill, Bob & Jeb all had a contest to see who could jump and be blown furthest by the wind. Bob won w/6m
Kerbal Space Agency
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weather keeping pilots grounded @ KGA also, which is fine actually since their 3rd Civvie just arrived for final assembly to keep them busy
Kerbal Space Agency
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shuttle bus service has resumed, thankfully only one kerb checked into the med center for getting knocked down by windborne-objects
Kerbal Space Agency
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Arekibo construction resuming today after engineers confirm no damage was done to existing dish bowl by the passage of Pilirani last weekend
Kerbal Space Agency
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where is the sun? You're looking at it. At least it's been dry for a while, but seas are still rough & high winds are still a worry today
Kerbal Space Agency
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tragic news as weather continues to wreak havoc around the region - large updraft near mtns lifted airship too high, crashed down on slopes
Kerbal Space Agency
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luckily airship was only carrying cargo but two crew members are in critical condition & one was killed. Here's hoping this all passes soon
Kerbal Space Agency
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we hear that a science team from Kravass finally made the trek north today to check on the suspected asteroid strike & confirmed impact
Kerbal Space Agency
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no direct evidence, but signs of large waves washing high up along the shoreline indicate something struck the water. Investigation ongoing
Kerbal Space Agency
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the fact that no one saw Pilirani impact has only emboldened Monolith conspiracy theorists telling everyone that it was really a spaceship
Kerbal Space Agency
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they assert that kerbals were taken when it passed close to Umbarg, Sheltered Rock & Ockr - despite the fact no one can find anyone missing
Kerbal Space Agency
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Deuce is complete! That and more details about today's bizarre KB mission in our ops summary: bit.ly/OpsSummary6-5-… enjoy the weekend, all
Kerbal Space Agency
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the Journal of Astronomical Sciences has a paper w/preliminary results from data gathered on Pilirani aerobrake observations from pass #2
Kerbal Space Agency
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now that the data has been released, we are looking forward to even more research being done for us to apply with future space missions
