Tool Bag Lost In Space Meets Fiery End

**Jason** · 08-13-2009, 06:02 AM

A tool bag lost by a spacewalking astronaut last year met its fiery demise in Earth's atmosphere Monday after months circling ever closer to the planet.

The $100,000 tool bag plunged toward Earth and burned up as it re-entered the atmosphere, according to the U.S. Air Force's Joint Space Operations Center tracking it and more than 19,000 other pieces of space junk in orbit today from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

"Based on its size and composition, we expect the object to completely burn up before hitting the Earth," center officials said in a statement.

The tool bag was lost during a Nov. 18 spacewalk at the International Space Station. In addition to the Joint Operations Space Center, amateur skywatchers also tracked the bag as it silently circled the Earth.

Center officials did not immediately have a specific time and location for the tool bag's ultimate demise, but a Sunday report by the Web site Universe Today predicted the wayward space satchel would hit the Earth's atmosphere at about 9:16 a.m. EDT (1316 GMT) over the Pacific Ocean, just west of Mexico.

http://www.space.com/news/090803-spa...-burns-up.html

The tool bag weighed about 30 pounds (14 kg) and was about the size of a small backpack. It contained grease guns, trash bags and a scraper tool.

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$100,000 for a small backpack with grease guns, trash bags and a scraper tool? I guess the jokes about the government spending $500 on a toilet seat must be true.

Mcninjaguy · 08-13-2009, 08:51 AM

I would like to know what makes those guns so special that they cost around $30,000 each.

Codeman0013 · 08-13-2009, 10:36 AM

Ever wonder why our government is in debt? We have 100k tool bags seriously why is it you can go to a hardware store and buy one for like 30 bucks and they spent 30k on one.... stupid nasa...

**-=Rousseau=-** · 08-13-2009, 11:57 AM

Somehow I think a grease gun designed for use in a vacuum is more expensive than the Home Depot variety

There were probably other tools as well, all specially designed to work properly in space. (IE nothing that would expand in a vacuum and cause problems).

**SABL** · 08-13-2009, 04:15 PM

I'm going to have to check this out.

http://www.heavens-above.com/

I no longer see a listing for the ISS Toolbag in their listings. See what happens when you send an egg-head to do a blue-collar job??

08-13-2009, 06:02 AM	#1 (permalink)
Jason Faugh a ballagh Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Pasco, FL Posts: 8,476 OS: Windows Vista My System Blog Entries: 2	Tool Bag Lost In Space Meets Fiery End A tool bag lost by a spacewalking astronaut last year met its fiery demise in Earth's atmosphere Monday after months circling ever closer to the planet. The $100,000 tool bag plunged toward Earth and burned up as it re-entered the atmosphere, according to the U.S. Air Force's Joint Space Operations Center tracking it and more than 19,000 other pieces of space junk in orbit today from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. "Based on its size and composition, we expect the object to completely burn up before hitting the Earth," center officials said in a statement. The tool bag was lost during a Nov. 18 spacewalk at the International Space Station. In addition to the Joint Operations Space Center, amateur skywatchers also tracked the bag as it silently circled the Earth. Center officials did not immediately have a specific time and location for the tool bag's ultimate demise, but a Sunday report by the Web site Universe Today predicted the wayward space satchel would hit the Earth's atmosphere at about 9:16 a.m. EDT (1316 GMT) over the Pacific Ocean, just west of Mexico. http://www.space.com/news/090803-spa...-burns-up.html The tool bag weighed about 30 pounds (14 kg) and was about the size of a small backpack. It contained grease guns, trash bags and a scraper tool. -------------------------- $100,000 for a small backpack with grease guns, trash bags and a scraper tool? I guess the jokes about the government spending $500 on a toilet seat must be true. __________________ Posting Tips \| Advice for New People \| Common Fixes \| Agus na damnaithe fágtha gan focal Glaoigh ormsa i measc na naomh

08-13-2009, 08:51 AM	#2 (permalink)
Mcninjaguy Temporarily Banned Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 10,422 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Tool Bag Lost In Space Meets Fiery End I would like to know what makes those guns so special that they cost around $30,000 each.

08-13-2009, 10:36 AM	#3 (permalink)
Codeman0013 Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Location: Decatur Illinois Posts: 257 OS: Windows 7 My System	Re: Tool Bag Lost In Space Meets Fiery End Ever wonder why our government is in debt? We have 100k tool bags seriously why is it you can go to a hardware store and buy one for like 30 bucks and they spent 30k on one.... stupid nasa...

08-13-2009, 11:57 AM	#4 (permalink)
-=Rousseau=- Biker, Geek and Jock Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Nashvegas Posts: 827 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate My System	Re: Tool Bag Lost In Space Meets Fiery End Somehow I think a grease gun designed for use in a vacuum is more expensive than the Home Depot variety There were probably other tools as well, all specially designed to work properly in space. (IE nothing that would expand in a vacuum and cause problems).

08-13-2009, 04:15 PM	#5 (permalink)
SABL Moderator Relaxation Room Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Galena, Ohio Posts: 1,233 OS: WinXP SP3	Re: Tool Bag Lost In Space Meets Fiery End I'm going to have to check this out. http://www.heavens-above.com/ I no longer see a listing for the ISS Toolbag in their listings. See what happens when you send an egg-head to do a blue-collar job?? __________________ Every rose has it's thorn