The Flat Earth Society

Flat Earth Discussion Boards => Flat Earth Debate => Topic started by: Slemon on November 21, 2018, 06:00:02 PM

Title: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 21, 2018, 06:00:02 PM
This is a thread dedicated to actually analysing an FE belief some people hold. If all you're interested in doing is insulting FET or claiming victory in one post or just generally not contributing, please hit back. If you're confident this won't work then contribute, add facts that hold from an FE perspective to help calculate, and don't clutter the thread so there's a simple, easy read-through disproof. If on the other hand you think it could work, let's see if that can be proved and, in the same vein, it's an easy read-through of a counter to an RE argument.

As I imagine everyone here knows, the International Space Station, or at least a light claimed to be it, can be seen on Earth
https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/sightings/
http://www.isstracker.com/

The ISS completes a journey in 92 minutes.

Goals of this thread
To determine the basic specs of the ISS. Things like how fast it needs to be going, whether there are any opportunities for it to be refueled, and potentially even height/size. Does it need to be in space? How feasible is it to function in atmosphere?

Things to do
If we can work out the distance along the ground the ISS appears to take, then on a flat Earth that easily tells us how much distance it covers itself and so its speed. Ideally we'll get a lower bound, so that we have the best chance of making the ISS work.
With that, we can calculate what could happen when it's out of view of land over the ocean (for however long that is), what acceleration would be needed for it to be replaced with a fuelled up version etc, or consider in-air refuelling. We can also determine how much force from air resistance and such it's under, and how that compares with objects like planes.
Calculate a minimum altitude, and from that an estimate as to mass to work out what forces (at a basic level) would be needed.

Caveats
Initially we'll work with basic principles as those will be most persuasive. If necessary, concepts like aetheric whirlpools and laevorotatory subquarks can be included if the conclusion is otherwise too unwieldy.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: ignorant_globehead on November 21, 2018, 06:14:28 PM
I appreciate that you started a new thread on this lol. Is it not enough evidence that we can see it?
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 21, 2018, 06:19:40 PM
I appreciate that you started a new thread on this lol. Is it not enough evidence that we can see it?
Slightly different issue.
And not inherently, all that proves is that there's something there. For all we know it's just a souped-up jet. Takes a bit of legwork to show it's any more than that.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Bullwinkle on November 21, 2018, 06:22:58 PM
I appreciate that you started a new thread on this lol. Is it not enough evidence that we can see it?

Obviously you mean 'I' when you say 'we', unless you just believe anyone who says anything.

If you were told that god's shiny butthole was going to pass overhead at 7:48:23pm and you saw something shiny pass overhead at 7:48:23pm, would you believe you saw god's shiny butthole?
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: JackBlack on November 21, 2018, 06:28:25 PM
The first thing you would need to determine is if the ISS is an actual physical object (or potentially some projected image) which appears to multiple people at different locations at once, or if it is a projected image such that people looking at "it" from different locations are actually seeing different images.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Bullwinkle on November 21, 2018, 06:31:06 PM
The first thing you would need to determine is if the ISS is an actual physical object (or potentially some projected image) which appears to multiple people at different locations at once, or if it is a projected image such that people looking at "it" from different locations are actually seeing different images.

No, you are wrong.

First you would need to determine if what you see is the ISS.


Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 21, 2018, 06:36:27 PM
The first thing you would need to determine is if the ISS is an actual physical object (or potentially some projected image) which appears to multiple people at different locations at once, or if it is a projected image such that people looking at "it" from different locations are actually seeing different images.

Like I said, starting with the basic model first. If that proves unwieldy, then we'll get to the more involved alternatives.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Platonius21 on November 21, 2018, 06:42:17 PM
Start with the basics.  Good idea.  So the first thing is to know how far it has to travel in its 92 minutes so you can calculate the velocity it has to be moving at.  Easy, and basic  -- take a look at the flat earth map and see how far it has to travel.

Oh -- I forgot. There isn't a flat earth map.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Bullwinkle on November 21, 2018, 06:44:38 PM
Start with the basics.  Good idea.  So the first thing is to know how far it has to travel in its 92 minutes so you can calculate the velocity it has to be moving at.  Easy, and basic  -- take a look at the flat earth map and see how far it has to travel.

Oh -- I forgot. There isn't a flat earth map.

First you need to establish the ISS.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Platonius21 on November 21, 2018, 06:51:25 PM
No you don't need to do that in order to figure out if there actually is one if what you are doing is trying to figure out how to fake one -- that's what the thread asks
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Bullwinkle on November 21, 2018, 07:11:02 PM
No you don't need to do that in order to figure out if there actually is one  . . .

So, you don't need to establish that the ISS exists in order to figure out if there actually is one?
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Platonius21 on November 21, 2018, 07:17:55 PM
The question was "What would it take to fake the ISS"?  And then specifies a 92 minute time to complete a pass.  So I assume we are trying to figure out how whatever that is up there is being faked. So I'm suggesting that first thing is to figure out how fast that fake thing has to be moving.

I mean, if you were to use round earth distances to get a first cut at it, the circumference traveled (at, say a 10 mile flight height) would be over 24,000 miles, and to do that in 92 minutes would take an average speed of around 16,000 miles per hour (about Mach 21).  So unless the flat earth map shows it's a lot less distance than that, you pretty much rule out any known jet plane. 

Really -- you need the map to get started on this.  Where is one?
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Quorum on November 21, 2018, 08:15:29 PM
You can just start with satellites, and before you bullshit me with the "oh, its a projected hologram that's projecting on nothing, the giant light that's shining it in the sky is invisible, it never gets distorted by weather or clouds and the projector moves around the entire world somehow!", I think it's common sense that projectors don't work like this.

You can view and predict the orbit of satellites using a telescope. If you're really going to tell me that it's just a random flying object that flies forever, looks exactly like a satellite and moves at the exact speed predicted and just so happens to always be there, with a straight face, there is nothing that can help you, I'm not kidding.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Bullwinkle on November 21, 2018, 08:28:32 PM

I'm not kidding.

Nobody thinks you are kidding.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Themightykabool on November 21, 2018, 09:32:16 PM
I appreciate that you started a new thread on this lol. Is it not enough evidence that we can see it?

Haha solved in first reply.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: rabinoz on November 21, 2018, 10:26:04 PM
This video shows a way to measure the ISS height using two cameras:

Using Cameras To Measure The Real Altitude Of The Space Station, Scott Manley
If course Scott Manley implicitly uses the sun's great distance as part of his calculations.
Is there a knowledgeable flat-earth supporter that could repeat these for the flat-earth sun height and position?
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Lonegranger on November 21, 2018, 10:51:28 PM
I appreciate that you started a new thread on this lol. Is it not enough evidence that we can see it?

It’s hardly a case of seeing it, and it’s not just a light in the sky. I was on an Astro photography course in Wales earlier in the year and the guy who ran the course took a great long exposure shot of the ISS, whose outline and overal shape could be determined from the image. It was like a comet with the tail being a series of images of the ISS itself. It was a great shot. I was too busy just watching it streak by.  He held the event at that location as he knew the ISS would be trucking on by at a set time. There are a plethora of apps that will calculate for you the exact time it will be seen from any location.
To recap it’s orbit is know to the exact second.
With even a modest pair of binoculars you can see it pretty clearly.
There is a live feed from it
I’m not sure there needs to be a debate on it as it’s existance is not any doubt. Just look up at the right time in the right place with the right conditions, and it will be there.
The only problem why there is even a discussion on it is it’s one of the FE requirements that it shouldn’t exist. That’s why the question has been slanted toward the possibility of it being a fake, which is of course a total cop out. When you can see it real as you like, the only option left is to cry fake.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Themightykabool on November 21, 2018, 10:58:29 PM
Actually, reread the title.
We re not supposed to be debating its existence.
She wants to explore how such a thing could be faked.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Lonegranger on November 21, 2018, 11:27:03 PM
Actually, reread the title.
We re not supposed to be debating its existence.
She wants to explore how such a thing could be faked.

Ah, my bad..... why would you want to fake it? Other than to meet a FE requirement?
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: JackBlack on November 22, 2018, 12:51:46 AM
Ah, my bad..... why would you want to fake it? Other than to meet a FE requirement?
I think the idea is tied to determining if it is real.
If it doesn't take much to fake it, then I assume she will say the ISS isn't evidence against a FE as it can easily be faked from a FE view. If it very difficult, then depending upon how she decides to define evidence she might accept it as evidence against a FE.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 22, 2018, 04:52:35 AM
Start with the basics.  Good idea.  So the first thing is to know how far it has to travel in its 92 minutes so you can calculate the velocity it has to be moving at.  Easy, and basic  -- take a look at the flat earth map and see how far it has to travel.

Oh -- I forgot. There isn't a flat earth map.
Like I said, all you need's a lower bound. It doesn't have to be a distance people accept as accurate, just so long as they accept it as a lower bound.

(https://www.scienceabc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ISS-Orbit-on-world-map.jpg)

Given the common diagram of the ISS' path, presumably corroborated by claimed observation times, a lower bound would be a straight shot around the, say, equator. Certainly not every orbit will necessarily be that, but so long as some are it means those are the speeds it has to be capable of reaching.

For the sake of error, I'll lop 10,000km off the RE measure of the length of the equator. Sure, it's a lot, but in the interests of giving the FE model every chance it seems a pretty good way of getting a lower bound. (Please, leave aside all the arguments of how that distance could or could not be verified, all that matters is that this value is likely less than the truth of any model).
The ISS would then travel at the speed 5,434m/s, or 19,565km/h, or 12,157mph. Still easily supersonic, and considerably faster than the known fastest jet.

However, the fastest unmanned aerial vehicle was the HTV-2 Falcon, at 21,245km/h, so our figure is within the realm of possibility, though whether it can be sustained is a whole other question. There's also the fact that this vehicle's launch altitude was 100 miles, getting it past most air resistance; while this will certainly be something to bear in mind, it does mean that it was technically in space and so may not be acceptable as a recourse.

Of the two HTV-2s launched, the mission was planned to be just 30 minutes which allows only for a partial journey. The first disintegrated after 9 minutes, the second lost contact also after nine minutes and crashed after three more. This was in 2010.

Trig can probably get us our altitude, using two distances on land that can both observe the ISS at a set time, using the angle of inclination. At the very least it's an estimate, possibly in terms of size, so we can see how feasible our Falcon comparison is.

Remaining questions:
Altitude, air resistance, possibility of sustained flight.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Platonius21 on November 22, 2018, 05:43:28 AM

For the sake of error, I'll lop 10,000km off the RE measure of the length of the equator. Sure, it's a lot, but in the interests of giving the FE model every chance it seems a pretty good way of getting a lower bound.
<snip>
Remaining questions:
Altitude, air resistance, possibility of sustained flight.

Wait a minute -- I thought we were starting with the basics.  The first, most basic question still remains: The distance traveled.  You can't just guess at a distance in order to "give the FE model a chance". You have to know the distance in order to get the velocity. You have to know the velocity in order to know what kind of vehicle (if any) could be used, and to know if air resistance is a problem.  If you start with a guess, the whole exercise is a guess.

Just tell me where I can find a map to get the distance from -- what's the problem here?
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 22, 2018, 05:50:11 AM

For the sake of error, I'll lop 10,000km off the RE measure of the length of the equator. Sure, it's a lot, but in the interests of giving the FE model every chance it seems a pretty good way of getting a lower bound.
<snip>
Remaining questions:
Altitude, air resistance, possibility of sustained flight.

Wait a minute -- I thought we were starting with the basics.  The first, most basic question still remains: The distance traveled.  You can't just guess at a distance in order to "give the FE model a chance". You have to know the distance in order to get the velocity. You have to know the velocity in order to know what kind of vehicle (if any) could be used, and to know if air resistance is a problem.  If you start with a guess, the whole exercise is a guess.

Just tell me where I can find a map to get the distance from -- what's the problem here?
Like I said, it's a lower bound; there's a difference between that and a guess. Chances are that distance will have to be accepted as a lower bound.
If you want to revive the tired old map debate, start your own thread on it rather than derail this one, or better yet search for the truly tiresome number of times that discussion's been had. It doesn't really matter so long as we have the aforementioned lower bound.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Platonius21 on November 22, 2018, 06:10:26 AM

For the sake of error, I'll lop 10,000km off the RE measure of the length of the equator. Sure, it's a lot, but in the interests of giving the FE model every chance it seems a pretty good way of getting a lower bound.
<snip>
Remaining questions:
Altitude, air resistance, possibility of sustained flight.

Wait a minute -- I thought we were starting with the basics.  The first, most basic question still remains: The distance traveled.  You can't just guess at a distance in order to "give the FE model a chance". You have to know the distance in order to get the velocity. You have to know the velocity in order to know what kind of vehicle (if any) could be used, and to know if air resistance is a problem.  If you start with a guess, the whole exercise is a guess.

Just tell me where I can find a map to get the distance from -- what's the problem here?
Like I said, it's a lower bound; there's a difference between that and a guess. Chances are that distance will have to be accepted as a lower bound.
If you want to revive the tired old map debate, start your own thread on it rather than derail this one, or better yet search for the truly tiresome number of times that discussion's been had. It doesn't really matter so long as we have the aforementioned lower bound.

So, you just pronounce a number as a lower bound and it's not a guess. And it will have to be accepted as a lower bound. Because you say so.  And I'm not trying to start a debate on the FE map, I just want to know where I can find one because it's needed to get this analysis going and show how the ISIS is being faked. If this whole exercise is based on guesswork, no one will believe it -- that's not what you want is it?
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 22, 2018, 06:18:55 AM

For the sake of error, I'll lop 10,000km off the RE measure of the length of the equator. Sure, it's a lot, but in the interests of giving the FE model every chance it seems a pretty good way of getting a lower bound.
<snip>
Remaining questions:
Altitude, air resistance, possibility of sustained flight.

Wait a minute -- I thought we were starting with the basics.  The first, most basic question still remains: The distance traveled.  You can't just guess at a distance in order to "give the FE model a chance". You have to know the distance in order to get the velocity. You have to know the velocity in order to know what kind of vehicle (if any) could be used, and to know if air resistance is a problem.  If you start with a guess, the whole exercise is a guess.

Just tell me where I can find a map to get the distance from -- what's the problem here?
Like I said, it's a lower bound; there's a difference between that and a guess. Chances are that distance will have to be accepted as a lower bound.
If you want to revive the tired old map debate, start your own thread on it rather than derail this one, or better yet search for the truly tiresome number of times that discussion's been had. It doesn't really matter so long as we have the aforementioned lower bound.

So, you just pronounce a number as a lower bound and it's not a guess. And it will have to be accepted as a lower bound. Because you say so.  And I'm not trying to start a debate on the FE map, I just want to know where I can find one because it's needed to get this analysis going and show how the ISIS is being faked. If this whole exercise is based on guesswork, no one will believe it -- that's not what you want is it?
Again, a map isn't necessary, just a very vague ballpark. No one is going to tell you that the distance from the US to UK is a couple of miles, for example. If you really want to get technical there's more reason to think the FE equator is longer rather than shorter than 40,000km due to the area it'd need to contain, but again, exact figures aren't what's important here. We are trying to determine if there is any possibility of this working, and in that case bounds are so much more useful.

If you want to get technical, sure, people are free to believe that the ISS' path is less than 30,000km and by extension that the equator is less than that, if that's the conclusion that ends up being drawn so be it. But whatever happens, at the end we can put it all together and get a list of parameters that can easily be tweaked depending on what someone finds reasonable. If they believe 25,000km is a closer bet then that can be plugged in, and the subsequent requirements determined.

But again, please don't derail this thread. If you have a valid reason or have seen FEers claim a smaller equator, rather than larger as I have, then please provide it. If not then I really couldn't care less about this distraction. A map isn't needed, bounds are. If we tie this to a map then it's going to be utterly useless for those that accept a different map.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: JimmyTheCrab on November 22, 2018, 09:11:42 AM
For the purposes of this thread I presume we are discounting any independent photos of the ISS in orbit?  As of course the fakers would then have not just have something up there in the right time and place, but something that looked exactly like the ISS as well.

If we are discounting this, then I presume the only way to fake it is via some kind of relay of multiple aircraft.  Anyone want to calculate what kind of altitude/velocity they would need to maintain to look like the ISS?

I've no idea how would smoothly handle the switch from one aircraft to the next....
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 22, 2018, 09:33:26 AM
For the purposes of this thread I presume we are discounting any independent photos of the ISS in orbit?  As of course the fakers would then have not just have something up there in the right time and place, but something that looked exactly like the ISS as well.

If we are discounting this, then I presume the only way to fake it is via some kind of relay of multiple aircraft.  Anyone want to calculate what kind of altitude/velocity they would need to maintain to look like the ISS?

I've no idea how would smoothly handle the switch from one aircraft to the next....
Fair point, probably should at the question of how it appears the way it does to consideration. I was initially focused on the more readily apparent traits, have to get those working first before we start taking photos through telescopes.

As far as sustained flight goes, the two options I can think of are refuelling in the air, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerial_refueling) and having enough redundancies for any repairs to be done similarly, or there being a switchover when the ISS is over the sea etc. The number of potential observers from the sea is greatly diminished from over the land, the chances of it being seen by anyone with any interest in what it could mean is minimal.
In the first case we'd need a second craft to be able to accelerate to the same speed as the ISS in order to transfer fuel. In the second, it's the acceleration/deceleration that's going to be trickier.

Though this does raise another question. The ISS appears as a particularly bright light in the sky; is this something the ISS can choose to switch on and off, a giant bank of floodlights of whatever, or is it a natural result of the altitude it's at? The former would at least make the switchover easier (the replacement has much longer to accelerate before it becomes visible, with some coordination it could be done fairly smoothly), though the latter is potentially problematic in models with a self-illuminating moon and so no established means for light to reach and reflect off the ISS.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Platonius21 on November 22, 2018, 09:43:19 AM
  Anyone want to calculate what kind of altitude/velocity they would need to maintain to look like the ISS?

That's exactly why I said we need to start with the distance involved in a single transit -- it's the only way to calculate the needed velocity to transit in 92 minutes.  Nobody want's to accept the distance RE theory provides, but otherwise it seems there is only a guess.  Nobody will be convinced of anything based on guesswork.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 22, 2018, 09:45:33 AM
  Anyone want to calculate what kind of altitude/velocity they would need to maintain to look like the ISS?

That's exactly why I said we need to start with the distance involved in a single transit -- it's the only way to calculate the needed velocity to transit in 92 minutes.  Nobody want's to accept the distance RE theory provides, but otherwise it seems there is only a guess.  Nobody will be convinced of anything based on guesswork.

If you don't know the difference between a guess and a bound I can't help you.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: JimmyTheCrab on November 22, 2018, 09:48:13 AM
As far as sustained flight goes, the two options I can think of are refuelling in the air, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerial_refueling) and having enough redundancies for any repairs to be done similarly, or there being a switchover when the ISS is over the sea etc. The number of potential observers from the sea is greatly diminished from over the land, the chances of it being seen by anyone with any interest in what it could mean is minimal.
In the first case we'd need a second craft to be able to accelerate to the same speed as the ISS in order to transfer fuel. In the second, it's the acceleration/deceleration that's going to be trickier.

Though this does raise another question. The ISS appears as a particularly bright light in the sky; is this something the ISS can choose to switch on and off, a giant bank of floodlights of whatever, or is it a natural result of the altitude it's at? The former would at least make the switchover easier (the replacement has much longer to accelerate before it becomes visible, with some coordination it could be done fairly smoothly),
Yes, the lighting aspect was troubling me, but I thought I'd leave that until the logistics were solved.

However, the illumination aspect could be tied up with the logistics.  As one aircraft took the baton from another, it could  illuminate while the other went dark...

Quote
though the latter is potentially problematic in models with a self-illuminating moon and so no established means for light to reach and reflect off the ISS.
It reflects sunlight, not moonlight, so is this relevant?

Also, if this is an aircraft flying at a much lower altitude, then it's not going to reflect anything really, and must be self-illuminating.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 22, 2018, 10:04:30 AM
Yes, the lighting aspect was troubling me, but I thought I'd leave that until the logistics were solved.

However, the illumination aspect could be tied up with the logistics.  As one aircraft took the baton from another, it could  illuminate while the other went dark...
Exactly, seemed worth bringing up. It solves one of the concerns I had too; if there is a switch-over over the sea, then if there was no control over the brightness they would need to be able to accelerate and decelerate very quickly. If they can choose to go dark/go bright however they could take as long as they need.

Quote
Quote
though the latter is potentially problematic in models with a self-illuminating moon and so no established means for light to reach and reflect off the ISS.
It reflects sunlight, not moonlight, so is this relevant?

Also, if this is an aircraft flying at a much lower altitude, then it's not going to reflect anything really, and must be self-illuminating.
In models where the moon reflects sunlight, there is a pre-existing mechanism that allows for the spotlight sun to illuminate what is essentially the underside of an object; without that, the ISS being illuminated by sunlight consistently is a much trickier proposition.

Self-illumination does seem the smarter way to go though for the ISS, by most metrics.

Anyway, personal notes for me to get back to. It's said that:
The ISS will be visible on Wednesday 28th November, 6:52 briefly, at a height of 12 degrees, appearing 10 degrees above SSW and disappearing 12 degrees above SSW, in Thurso, Scotland.
The ISS will be visible on Wednesday 28th November, at 6:51, for 1 minute, at a height of 35 degrees , appearing 19 degrees above WSW and disappearing 35 degrees above WSW, in Plymouth, England.
The distance from Plymouth to Thurso as the crow flies is approximately 914km. Over a shorter area such as this the RE and FE figures shouldn't differ much, but either way this is accepted to be only an approximation. Ideally will use other measurements to corroborate and iron out any error.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: NotSoSkeptical on November 22, 2018, 10:06:26 AM
You can just start with satellites, and before you bullshit me with the "oh, its a projected hologram that's projecting on nothing, the giant light that's shining it in the sky is invisible, it never gets distorted by weather or clouds and the projector moves around the entire world somehow!", I think it's common sense that projectors don't work like this.

You can view and predict the orbit of satellites using a telescope. If you're really going to tell me that it's just a random flying object that flies forever, looks exactly like a satellite and moves at the exact speed predicted and just so happens to always be there, with a straight face, there is nothing that can help you, I'm not kidding.

That assumes the ISS is flying in the same direction the earth is rotating.  If the ISS is flying in the opposite direction the earth rotates on its axis, the speed wouldn't need to be as fast. 

Oh wait, does this assume the Earth is flat? 

Well then it wouldn't matter, the speed would have to be pretty fast in either direction.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Platonius21 on November 22, 2018, 10:13:39 AM
  Anyone want to calculate what kind of altitude/velocity they would need to maintain to look like the ISS?

That's exactly why I said we need to start with the distance involved in a single transit -- it's the only way to calculate the needed velocity to transit in 92 minutes.  Nobody want's to accept the distance RE theory provides, but otherwise it seems there is only a guess.  Nobody will be convinced of anything based on guesswork.

If you don't know the difference between a guess and a bound I can't help you.

Yeah -- you made a guess at a lower bound. How is that confusing?
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 22, 2018, 10:17:38 AM
  Anyone want to calculate what kind of altitude/velocity they would need to maintain to look like the ISS?

That's exactly why I said we need to start with the distance involved in a single transit -- it's the only way to calculate the needed velocity to transit in 92 minutes.  Nobody want's to accept the distance RE theory provides, but otherwise it seems there is only a guess.  Nobody will be convinced of anything based on guesswork.

If you don't know the difference between a guess and a bound I can't help you.

Yeah -- you made a guess at a lower bound. How is that confusing?

You say 'guess' like it was intended to be accurate. It wasn't. That is the point of a lower bound. It is not necessarily an accurate figure, merely one less than any reasonable option or any model I have seen.

If you are not going to contribute to this thread please do not clutter it.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: inquisitive on November 22, 2018, 10:28:10 AM
Easiest way to fake the ISS is to build a real one as documented.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Platonius21 on November 22, 2018, 11:49:14 AM
  Anyone want to calculate what kind of altitude/velocity they would need to maintain to look like the ISS?

That's exactly why I said we need to start with the distance involved in a single transit -- it's the only way to calculate the needed velocity to transit in 92 minutes.  Nobody want's to accept the distance RE theory provides, but otherwise it seems there is only a guess.  Nobody will be convinced of anything based on guesswork.

If you don't know the difference between a guess and a bound I can't help you.

Yeah -- you made a guess at a lower bound. How is that confusing?

You say 'guess' like it was intended to be accurate. It wasn't. That is the point of a lower bound. It is not necessarily an accurate figure, merely one less than any reasonable option or any model I have seen.

If you are not going to contribute to this thread please do not clutter it.

Well, I am trying to contribute to this thread by indicating what I think is needed.  I don't know what other models you are referring to in order to come up with your "lower bound".  But using the RE model you can come up with an absolute lower bound that would be the circumference of the earth.  That leads to a distance of roughly 25000 miles or a minimum required velocity of about 16,000 miles per hour. That's a lower bound that the RE model would absolutely require.

What other model(s) are you referring to that you have seen that would suggest a smaller lower bound? Educate me.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Lonegranger on November 22, 2018, 02:33:11 PM
This discussion is moving into areas that are so silly they could qualify for a monty python sketch. There are some things that are not up for discussion like distances between London and New York, or the distance around the equator. They are what they are. These distances are known and fixed. I’m sick of telling people that given all the thousands of  flights leaving all the airports in the world every single day of the year that distances between everywhere are known relative to one another.....end off I feel like banging my head against.....something! If not we would have aircraft dropping out the sky on a regular basis.
How do some people think that aircraft navigate from a to b...by magic pixie?
Need to bang head....
We have maps, we have fixed things like railways and roads that have known lengths, that don’t can’t! miraculously change length, some personage is advocating lopping off 5000 miles so of the length of the trans Siberian railway and saying that’s permissible ! I hope they tell Putin!

Countries, continents, towns and cities all have fixed locations, and known distances relative to each other. You can’t decide to move them as it takes your fancy it’s just not possible, nor very clever.
Excuse me while I bang my head and be sick......mmmmm that’s better.
Remember the impossibility of a flat earth map, or to put it another way of a flat earth.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: JimmyTheCrab on November 23, 2018, 04:01:05 AM
This discussion is moving into areas that are so silly they could qualify for a monty python sketch. There are some things that are not up for discussion like distances between London and New York, or the distance around the equator. They are what they are. These distances are known and fixed. I’m sick of telling people that given all the thousands of  flights leaving all the airports in the world every single day of the year that distances between everywhere are known relative to one another.....end off I feel like banging my head against.....something! If not we would have aircraft dropping out the sky on a regular basis.
How do some people think that aircraft navigate from a to b...by magic pixie?
Need to bang head....
We have maps, we have fixed things like railways and roads that have known lengths, that don’t can’t! miraculously change length, some personage is advocating lopping off 5000 miles so of the length of the trans Siberian railway and saying that’s permissible ! I hope they tell Putin!

Countries, continents, towns and cities all have fixed locations, and known distances relative to each other. You can’t decide to move them as it takes your fancy it’s just not possible, nor very clever.
Excuse me while I bang my head and be sick......mmmmm that’s better.
Remember the impossibility of a flat earth map, or to put it another way of a flat earth.
Yeah, well obviously the world is round.  Jane is trying to run a thought experiment on one aspect of the flatties' claims.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Space Cowgirl on November 23, 2018, 07:30:35 AM
Lonegranger, stop spamming. If you're not interested in the discussion, you don't have to read it.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: ignorant_globehead on November 23, 2018, 07:49:36 AM
Lonegranger, stop spamming. If you're not interested in the discussion, you don't have to read it.

This is what I signed up for, this is why I made an account on this forum. To laugh at flat earthers and there stupid arguements. Some of the arguements (including the flat earth theory itself) that FEers come up with literally baffling and entertaining at the same time. The moon doesn't reflect sunlight? The ISS is self illuminating? This could absolutely be in a comedy TV series such as Monty Python or the Simpsons. Loneranger keeps on stating absolute, irrefutable truth that no one can argue with and it is ignored repeatedly. We know terrestrial distances very accurately and I would hope that you FEers have experienced those distances for yourselves but all of a sudden poof! For some magical reason NASA or the NWO has warped spacetime and shortened those distances or made them longer? Oh my I cant wait until someone denies this evidence again, it just shows the purposeful stupidity of FE believers.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 23, 2018, 08:15:44 AM
Well this was a waste of time.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: JimmyTheCrab on November 23, 2018, 08:23:16 AM
This is what I signed up for, this is why I made an account on this forum. To laugh at flat earthers
No flat earthers have posted in this thread.

Quote
literally baffling and entertaining at the same time. The moon doesn't reflect sunlight? The ISS is self illuminating?
This thread is a thought experiment to explore flat eathers claims that the ISS is fake.  The question is, if you were going to fake the ISS, is it possible and if so, how?
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Lamaface on November 23, 2018, 08:49:29 AM
Since the ISS can be zoomed in on by publicly available telescopes, the telescope industry would need to be “in” on it as well.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 23, 2018, 09:02:11 AM
Since the ISS can be zoomed in on by publicly available telescopes, the telescope industry would need to be “in” on it as well.
Was going to tackle the question of what would present the appearance that can be seen later, probably with just the shape of whatever craft it is, and potential aerodynamic issues, but you've piqued my curiosity. What do you imagine the telescope industry doing?
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Heavenly Breeze on November 23, 2018, 09:30:47 AM
The proven fact is that all the videos from the ISS do not correspond to its estimated speed of movement.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: WestToEastEastToWest on November 23, 2018, 09:47:49 AM
Can you back that up? If it is indeed a "proven fact"?
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Lamaface on November 23, 2018, 10:05:17 AM
Since the ISS can be zoomed in on by publicly available telescopes, the telescope industry would need to be “in” on it as well.
Was going to tackle the question of what would present the appearance that can be seen later, probably with just the shape of whatever craft it is, and potential aerodynamic issues, but you've piqued my curiosity. What do you imagine the telescope industry doing?
Good question!
Mediocre answer:

I guess each telescope would have to have some kind of complementary mirror system that can be used to project an image of the ISS into the viewing thingy. You can’t have a recording playing on loop for obvious reasons.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Lamaface on November 23, 2018, 10:05:59 AM
Also, I appreciate your effort in this thought experiment Jane. I hope the thread will not derail into lunacy.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Lonegranger on November 23, 2018, 10:59:34 AM
This discussion is moving into areas that are so silly they could qualify for a monty python sketch. There are some things that are not up for discussion like distances between London and New York, or the distance around the equator. They are what they are. These distances are known and fixed. I’m sick of telling people that given all the thousands of  flights leaving all the airports in the world every single day of the year that distances between everywhere are known relative to one another.....end off I feel like banging my head against.....something! If not we would have aircraft dropping out the sky on a regular basis.
How do some people think that aircraft navigate from a to b...by magic pixie?
Need to bang head....
We have maps, we have fixed things like railways and roads that have known lengths, that don’t can’t! miraculously change length, some personage is advocating lopping off 5000 miles so of the length of the trans Siberian railway and saying that’s permissible ! I hope they tell Putin!

Countries, continents, towns and cities all have fixed locations, and known distances relative to each other. You can’t decide to move them as it takes your fancy it’s just not possible, nor very clever.
Excuse me while I bang my head and be sick......mmmmm that’s better.
Remember the impossibility of a flat earth map, or to put it another way of a flat earth.
Yeah, well obviously the world is round.  Jane is trying to run a thought experiment on one aspect of the flatties' claims.

Mr Crab...thanks for that. However if one is going to conduct a thought experiment let’s at least nudge it the realms of possibility. If you are going to lop of 10K kilometres off the circumference of the earth, something gotta give....shrink the continental USA?, given the way the interior states vote that might not be a bad thing.  However an experiment that magically reduces the known size of the world is pretty pointless on account of its futility.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 23, 2018, 11:01:55 AM
This discussion is moving into areas that are so silly they could qualify for a monty python sketch. There are some things that are not up for discussion like distances between London and New York, or the distance around the equator. They are what they are. These distances are known and fixed. I’m sick of telling people that given all the thousands of  flights leaving all the airports in the world every single day of the year that distances between everywhere are known relative to one another.....end off I feel like banging my head against.....something! If not we would have aircraft dropping out the sky on a regular basis.
How do some people think that aircraft navigate from a to b...by magic pixie?
Need to bang head....
We have maps, we have fixed things like railways and roads that have known lengths, that don’t can’t! miraculously change length, some personage is advocating lopping off 5000 miles so of the length of the trans Siberian railway and saying that’s permissible ! I hope they tell Putin!

Countries, continents, towns and cities all have fixed locations, and known distances relative to each other. You can’t decide to move them as it takes your fancy it’s just not possible, nor very clever.
Excuse me while I bang my head and be sick......mmmmm that’s better.
Remember the impossibility of a flat earth map, or to put it another way of a flat earth.
Yeah, well obviously the world is round.  Jane is trying to run a thought experiment on one aspect of the flatties' claims.

Mr Crab...thanks for that. However if one is going to conduct a thought experiment let’s at least nudge it the realms of possibility. If you are going to lop of 10K kilometres off the circumference of the earth, something gotta give....shrink the continental USA?, given the way the interior states vote that might not be a bad thing.  However an experiment that magically reduces the known size of the world is pretty pointless on account of its futility.
Do you not know what a lower bound is too? It's not meant to be accurate, it's meant to be less than the real answer.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: JackBlack on November 23, 2018, 01:14:12 PM
Do you not know what a lower bound is too? It's not meant to be accurate, it's meant to be less than the real answer.
And then comparing it to something to declare it is "within the realm of possibility" isn't really useful at all.
Sure, your lower limit is within the realm of possibility, but the actual speed likely isn't. If the distance is accepted as roughly 40 000 km (which I would say is a more reasonable lower limit and I see no reason to cut off the 10 000 km), then you have a speed of roughly 27 000 km/hr. It seems you lopped 10 000 km off just to make it work, to get it below the 21245 km/hr speed of the Falcon.

If you want to say the idea is within the realm of possibility in general you should go for the upper limit. Without getting into tricky math, I would put the upper limit at something like 126 000 km, meaning a speed of roughly 84 000 km/hr, based upon it completing loops which on the FE are bounded by the edge of Earth at 20 000 km from the centre (I don't think anyone has claimed that the regions of Earth man has explored which the ISS would cover is greater than 40 000 km wide), and for the RE, it is a circle with a radius of roughly 6800 km.

Another option may be assuming it is a circular path and then determining the diameter, but that relies upon specific FE or RE maps, but I'm not 100% sure on just how valid it is but my instinct would be a circle of diameter of 20 000 km based upon the AEP map and that if it goes 10 degrees south of the equator at the opposite side of its circle it would be 10 degrees north. That gives a more reasonable upper bound of roughly 63 000 km and thus roughly 42 000 km/hr. (and yes, I am aware that that doesn't capture the complete orbital path which is more akin to a circular path which itself is rotating, and that if the accepted path is taken i think it wouldn't actually be a circle, just close to it, for the AEP.)

For a lower bound agreed upon by everyone we would need to consider Sandokhan's map/FE which has a radius of a mere 6363.6363 km, so following a similar method we can half that to get the radius of the circle above that map giving a distance of roughly 20 000 km, and thus a speed of 13 000 km/hr.

But that assumes it is just the one body. You may have multiple such craft completing much smaller loops at a higher or lower speed (or alternatives which don't have a physical craft).
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Platonius21 on November 23, 2018, 01:34:06 PM
Do you not know what a lower bound is too? It's not meant to be accurate, it's meant to be less than the real answer.

Well Jane, I am still waiting for your answer.  I gave you an absolute lower bound that is figured based on round earth understanding. You just came up with a lower bound much less than that based on "other theories you have seen".

What theory is your lower bound based on?  Please tell us. You can't just make up some smaller lower bound that makes it less difficult for your faking scenario.

And just to correct your mis-understanding the definition of a lower bound for some unknown value. A lower bound is a value that your unknown cannot be less than.  It's usually based on some kind of logic as to why the unknown cannot be less than the lower bound.

In the example I gave, based on a round earth, the lower bound for the transit distance is the circumference of the earth. The transit distance absolutely has to be greater than that; how much greater depends on the altitude of the fake ISS, but it can't be zero altitude.

So -- I am still waiting to hear what your lower bound is based on.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 23, 2018, 01:42:24 PM
It seems you lopped 10 000 km off just to make it work, to get it below the 21245 km/hr speed of the Falcon.
I lopped it off because it was a convenient figure and with how much map disagreement there is, it can be argued world would be a bit smaller. Sure, it happens to be within range of basically the fastest essentially-in-atmosphere manmade vehicle, but that's not much of a concession given that both of those disintegrated, and honestly was just coincidence. I used a smaller value simply because if we stuck with the RE measurement, a lot of people would reject it there and then. Always better to go lower, if you don't give something every chance then you've not made a persuasive argument against, and equally you wouldn't end up with the parameters of possibility if it does end up working.

Quote
For a lower bound agreed upon by everyone we would need to consider Sandokhan's map/FE
Sandokhan's model has very different physics which, like I mentioned, I'm not yet appealing to. He explains the ISS (and indeed other satellites) with reference to laevorotatory subquarks and an antigravity effect which, yeah, fixes a lot of problems but also need a lot of changes to accepted physics to get to. Sandokhan's model of chronological and spatial scales only exist as far as I've seen within such models.

Quote
But that assumes it is just the one body. You may have multiple such craft completing much smaller loops at a higher or lower speed (or alternatives which don't have a physical craft).
Given that the ISS is in sight theoretically nearly all the time, except when it's oversea, the practicalities of that don't really help, especially with it only being visible from one location at a time. You might be able to use it as an explanation for the ISS crossing an ocean, I suppose, vanishing from one side and another one continuing the journey, but issues like that are why I used such a low bound. However many objects there are, with only one visible at a time this suffices as a lower estimate.



What theory is your lower bound based on?  Please tell us. You can't just make up some smaller lower bound that makes it less difficult for your faking scenario.
Yes. I can. That's the point. It's lower. Still faces plenty of problems, but if at the end of all this the conclusion is "The ISS can be faked with no difficulty whatsoever so long as you accept a 30,000km length equator," are you really so insecure that that bothers you?

It is a value that is low enough to feasibly contain most if not all FE models and still allow room to explore. Key word: low. I am giving this model every chance to work so that either a) it will be especially convincing if it turns out not to work, b) it will give an idea of how feasible FET is and ballpark estimates of various values if it does work, thus givng more data that can be discussed elsewhere. If that seriously bugs you so much, butt out.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: JackBlack on November 23, 2018, 02:16:00 PM
I lopped it off because it was a convenient figure and with how much map disagreement there is, it can be argued world would be a bit smaller.
The point is why?
Why lop off 10 000 km?
You are just pulling it out of no where, which raises the question of what is the point?

Remember, typically the FEers indicate the world is larger, and that is why planes between Australia and Africa make stops in the Middle East.
So I would pick the RE number as a lower bound and note that for FE it will likely be larger.
If you want to just pull a lower bound out of no where, why not pick 10 km/hr?

I used a smaller value simply because if we stuck with the RE measurement, a lot of people would reject it there and then.
Likewise picking a smaller number, seemingly to make it fit, would also result in it being rejected then and there, for not faking the ISS but some watered down version of it.

As this meant to be for the FEers or the REers?
Is it to try and show the FEers that it can't be faked, in which case sure, go for a lower bound, but have some justification for it or they will likely just claim it is even lower.
Is it to try and show the REers it can be? In which case a lower bound they completely disagree upon wouldn't work.

Sandokhan's model has very different physics
Even without that very different physics, you can still look at his map and see what it would take to fake the ISS on his model.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Platonius21 on November 23, 2018, 03:27:57 PM
if at the end of all this the conclusion is "The ISS can be faked with no difficulty whatsoever so long as you accept a 30,000km length equator," are you really so insecure that that bothers you?
<snip>
If that seriously bugs you so much, butt out.

Naaah -- I wouldn't be insecure about that --  I would be laughing at it.  And imagining all the flat earth map mavens running off to make sure whatever map they divine has a 30,000 kilometer equator because that is what Jane and friends needed to come up with their fake ISS scenario.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Stash on November 23, 2018, 04:20:57 PM
Always better to go lower, if you don't give something every chance then you've not made a persuasive argument against, and equally you wouldn't end up with the parameters of possibility if it does end up working.

I think this is an entirely worthy thought experiment. And it's fine to use the lower bound as a starting point. And maybe it doesn't have to be too complicated. Here's how I would fake it.

- A modified U2 spy plane or similar.
- With solar arrays attached powering ram jets for continuous uninterrupted speedy flight.
- As Jane mentioned, repairs done in flight over the seas. If the solar panels are just for show, then in flight refueling.

Here's the ISS compared to a U2:

(https://i.imgur.com/PiBCmyy.jpg)
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 23, 2018, 04:28:02 PM
Is it to try and show the FEers that it can't be faked, in which case sure, go for a lower bound, but have some justification for it or they will likely just claim it is even lower.
Is it to try and show the REers it can be? In which case a lower bound they completely disagree upon wouldn't work.
You gave the justification for it: FEers typically say it's larger. I'm just leaving wiggle-room, this is far enough from the typical values that it's likely to be accepted as that lower bound. Sure, they could go lower, but why is that a flaw with this? If anything it's a good thing because it gives more concrete data about the FE model. I'd call that a plus.
I'm not looking for any outcome, just trying to see if it could be made to work, if there's any actual interest in that rather than mindless hatred towards the concept of a lower bound.

Quote
Sandokhan's model has very different physics
Even without that very different physics, you can still look at his map and see what it would take to fake the ISS on his model.
No, because of the different physics, like I said. Trying to do anything beyond the basics is a disaster waiting to happen unless I want to start deriving or rereading the mathematical consequences of ether. I'm not diving into the deep end immediately for the purpose of analysing one model. Like I keep saying, the intent is to move onto altered physics (the accelerator giving it a boost in whirlpool models, projections in dome models...) if and only if it is required.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: sokarul on November 23, 2018, 04:30:37 PM
Always better to go lower, if you don't give something every chance then you've not made a persuasive argument against, and equally you wouldn't end up with the parameters of possibility if it does end up working.

I think this is an entirely worthy thought experiment. And it's fine to use the lower bound as a starting point. And maybe it doesn't have to be too complicated. Here's how I would fake it.

- A modified U2 spy plane or similar.
- With solar arrays attached powering ram jets for continuous uninterrupted speedy flight.
- As Jane mentioned, repairs done in flight over the seas. If the solar panels are just for show, then in flight refueling.

Here's the ISS compared to a U2:

(https://i.imgur.com/PiBCmyy.jpg)

Ramjet engines don’t work on electricity.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: NotSoSkeptical on November 23, 2018, 05:45:47 PM
Always better to go lower, if you don't give something every chance then you've not made a persuasive argument against, and equally you wouldn't end up with the parameters of possibility if it does end up working.

I think this is an entirely worthy thought experiment. And it's fine to use the lower bound as a starting point. And maybe it doesn't have to be too complicated. Here's how I would fake it.

- A modified U2 spy plane or similar.
- With solar arrays attached powering ram jets for continuous uninterrupted speedy flight.
- As Jane mentioned, repairs done in flight over the seas. If the solar panels are just for show, then in flight refueling.

Here's the ISS compared to a U2:

(https://i.imgur.com/PiBCmyy.jpg)

Yeah except the U2 is tiny compared to the ISS:

Quote
Specifications (U-2S)

Data from International Directory,[175] USAF Fact Sheet[176][177]

General characteristics

Crew: One
Length: 63 ft (19.2 m)
Wingspan: 103 ft (31.4 m)
Height: 16 ft (4.88 m)
Wing area: 1,000 ft² (92.9 m²)
Aspect ratio: 10.6
Empty weight: 14,300 lb (6,486 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 40,000 lb (18,144 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × General Electric F118-101 turbofan, 17,000 lbf (84.5 kN)


(https://img.purch.com/w/640/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA0Ny85OTgvaTAyL2lzcy1ob3ctYmlnLTEwMDUxMS0wMi5qcGc/MTMyNDM0NjE3MA==)
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: rabinoz on November 23, 2018, 06:10:35 PM
I think this is an entirely worthy thought experiment. And it's fine to use the lower bound as a starting point. And maybe it doesn't have to be too complicated. Here's how I would fake it.

- A modified U2 spy plane or similar.
- With solar arrays attached powering ram jets for continuous uninterrupted speedy flight.
- As Jane mentioned, repairs done in flight over the seas. If the solar panels are just for show, then in flight refueling.

Here's the ISS compared to a U2:

(https://i.imgur.com/PiBCmyy.jpg)

Ramjet engines don’t work on electricity.
A minor problem to ingenious flat-earthers.

But with no Space Shuttle docked, I don't know about looking like a U2.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/jq2oidcmojc88x1/ISS%20and%20moon%2C%20614348main_jsc2012e017827_wp_1600-1200.jpg?dl=1)           (https://www.dropbox.com/s/2yarlkldg6cssb7/ISS%20from%20614348main_jsc2012e017827_wp_1600-1200.png?dl=1)
Still it might convince a few peasants - NASA fanboys ;).

And the ISS orbits the earth in about 92.7 minutes following a path similar to this:(https://www.dropbox.com/s/7wcl5zgerfnz28h/ISS%20orbit%20map.jpg?dl=1)
So it passes over most countries every few day with quite accurate predictions available as to the path and time on sites like:
(http://www.isstracker.com/images/isstracker_logo.png) I.S.S. Tracker (http://www.isstracker.com) or Spot The Station, International Space Station. (https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/sightings/)

Hence "to fake the ISS" would require objects that:
   
But the elephant in the room would be the hoaxing organisation's complete ignorance of where these observers might be.
They could easily be at sea so to me it seems well nigh impossible but I'm sure there are plenty here more devious than I.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 23, 2018, 06:15:15 PM
Yeah except the U2 is tiny compared to the ISS:

Quote
Specifications (U-2S)

Data from International Directory,[175] USAF Fact Sheet[176][177]

General characteristics

Crew: One
Length: 63 ft (19.2 m)
Wingspan: 103 ft (31.4 m)
Height: 16 ft (4.88 m)
Wing area: 1,000 ft² (92.9 m²)
Aspect ratio: 10.6
Empty weight: 14,300 lb (6,486 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 40,000 lb (18,144 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × General Electric F118-101 turbofan, 17,000 lbf (84.5 kN)

[ISS 109m wide]

Using an angular size of 60 arc seconds, I calculate that a 109m wide ISS is 375km high, which is... actually not too far off the 408km figure, so not bad for using values where the degree of error is going to be kinda absurd. (I lose 5km by adding 0.0001 to the angle alone).

If the ISS has the width of a U2, using the figure you gave, I find that it's approximately 108km high. 117km if I go direct and don't use angular size. It is however also a decent bit lower than the Falcon; it is higher than the Karman line, but there is still resistance that'd be significant at these velocities. Let's use 117km.

The more pressing concern is the 802km/h top speed, significantly slower than the ~20,000km/h required. Modification and the fact that it's operating in near-vacuum might help with that, though I'd need to do a bit more research on drag at those altitudes.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: rabinoz on November 23, 2018, 06:19:51 PM
Yeah except the U2 is tiny compared to the ISS:
Minor problem[1] :D! The U2 could not fly at 400,000 m altitude either so would be far closer to the observers.

[1] A minor problem to a flat earther who can believe that
      the sun and moon are leviated and follow sort of spiral paths because of "reasons" or "whirlpools" or "space expanding".
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: MouseWalker on November 23, 2018, 07:17:35 PM
Always better to go lower, if you don't give something every chance then you've not made a persuasive argument against, and equally you wouldn't end up with the parameters of possibility if it does end up working.

I think this is an entirely worthy thought experiment. And it's fine to use the lower bound as a starting point. And maybe it doesn't have to be too complicated. Here's how I would fake it.

- A modified U2 spy plane or similar.
- With solar arrays attached powering ram jets for continuous uninterrupted speedy flight.
- As Jane mentioned, repairs done in flight over the seas. If the solar panels are just for show, then in flight refueling.

Here's the ISS compared to a U2:

(https://i.imgur.com/PiBCmyy.jpg)
There is no compatibility between ISS and the U2, size for one thing, the aerodynamics of the ISS  is absurd, the ISS would collapse under its own weight, let alone get off the ground.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Stash on November 23, 2018, 07:46:00 PM
Using an angular size of 60 arc seconds, I calculate that a 109m wide ISS is 375km high, which is... actually not too far off the 408km figure, so not bad for using values where the degree of error is going to be kinda absurd. (I lose 5km by adding 0.0001 to the angle alone).

If the ISS has the width of a U2, using the figure you gave, I find that it's approximately 108km high. 117km if I go direct and don't use angular size. It is however also a decent bit lower than the Falcon; it is higher than the Karman line, but there is still resistance that'd be significant at these velocities. Let's use 117km.

The more pressing concern is the 802km/h top speed, significantly slower than the ~20,000km/h required. Modification and the fact that it's operating in near-vacuum might help with that, though I'd need to do a bit more research on drag at those altitudes.

So, to your point, maybe it's not as high up as we are told.

And there are all kinds of strange looking planes. Maybe it's a wildly modified type of U2-ish machine made to look like the ISS. I mean this is a rather unique looking flying machine:

(https://hips.hearstapps.com/pop.h-cdn.co/assets/cm/15/05/54cb28065eee6_-_bizarre-aircraft-09-0114-de.jpg?crop=1xw:1.0xh;center,top&resize=980:*)

And this:

(https://hips.hearstapps.com/pop.h-cdn.co/assets/cm/15/05/54cb280615f42_-_bizarre-aircraft-08-0114-lgn.jpg?crop=1xw:1.0xh;center,top&resize=980:*)

I think the big sticking point is propulsion/speed.

Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: JackBlack on November 23, 2018, 09:18:33 PM
Yeah except the U2 is tiny compared to the ISS:
But we aren't standing beside it, we are looking at it up in the sky.

The ISS being 400 km away and 100 m long would appear the same as an object 40km away being 10 m long.
If it is only 20 km away (it's ceiling) then it is only 5 m long.
If anything I would say the U2 is far too large.

Due to how non-aerodynamic it is, it would be more likely to have a transparent outer casing. if it was going to be in any atmosphere.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Quorum on November 23, 2018, 10:10:29 PM
To fake the ISS, viewing the ISS's orbit through a telescope would need to be faked, except you can view each part of the ISS in good detail with a decent telescope.
Can't really be faked.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Stash on November 23, 2018, 10:21:53 PM
A quick search and yeah these two would be a problem on the fakery front:

International Space Station video from amateur telescope (Celestron C8 / 200mm diameter) and Nikon D5100 DSLR



ISS over Munich through the 80cm telescope of the Public Observatory in Munich, 9. July 2010.

Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Heavenly Breeze on November 24, 2018, 08:04:10 AM
Quote
Can you back that up? If it is indeed a "proven fact"?
All evidence is on YouTube. Where people did a detailed analysis. Including in Russian. He who seeks will always find - as we say.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: frenat on November 24, 2018, 08:16:07 AM
Quote
Can you back that up? If it is indeed a "proven fact"?
All evidence is on YouTube. Where people did a detailed analysis. Including in Russian. He who seeks will always find - as we say.
And you can't link to them because?  and you know this analysis is correct because?

Earlier in the thread there were videos showing the height and speed determined from the ground and they showed it to be correct and as expected.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: jncastillo87 on November 24, 2018, 09:26:06 AM
Quote
Can you back that up? If it is indeed a "proven fact"?
All evidence is on YouTube. Where people did a detailed analysis. Including in Russian. He who seeks will always find - as we say.
And you can't link to them because?  and you know this analysis is correct because?

Earlier in the thread there were videos showing the height and speed determined from the ground and they showed it to be correct and as expected.

I am assuming this topic came up because of the new video ? I cannot believe people are saying " what does it take to fake the ISS" Can it not be accepted that the 100s of missions going to and from where and footage of all of it are not enough ? Im sure everyone has seen this but I will post the link anyway. Come on guys.

http://digg.com/video/iss-20th-anniversary-timelapse
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 24, 2018, 10:05:20 AM
I cannot believe people are saying " what does it take to fake the ISS" Can it not be accepted that the 100s of missions going to and from where and footage of all of it are not enough ? Im sure everyone has seen this but I will post the link anyway. Come on guys.
Reading the first post should not be too much to ask. Seriously.

Anyway. Onto drag, using the U2 because it's a model that at least gives a few figures to work with, and calculating the Reynolds number from:

https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/24641/what-is-the-relation-between-an-airplanes-altitude-and-the-drag-it-is-experienc/24644

Not necessarily the best source, but it does give a clear walk-through that can be repeated.
Velocity=19,500km/h=5416m/s
Reference length=19.2m
Density of air at 117km=0.000000577kg/m3
Dynamic viscosity=~0.000008Ns/m2

Latter two values open to correction, but should be at least ballpark figures.
Thus the Reynolds number of our U2 space station is 7500.
For comparison, the Reynolds number of a U2 in its usual routine is about 251 million. The smaller the Reynolds' number, the greater the drag, so the force on the modified U2 is significant.

Will check out the Reynolds number of the Falcon in a bit, assuming this isn't the wrong direction entirely, to get some idea of what drag it was under.

Given that altitude defines the reference length, density and dynamic viscosity, may be able to come up with a formula that ties everything together in terms of that variable. could get ugly, but would also help immensely. Next step might be getting it all in terms of the length of the journey, so there are concrete figures on what's needed. This is getting fun.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: jncastillo87 on November 24, 2018, 11:29:31 AM
This is a thread dedicated to actually analysing an FE belief some people hold. If all you're interested in doing is insulting FET or claiming victory in one post or just generally not contributing, please hit back. If you're confident this won't work then contribute, add facts that hold from an FE perspective to help calculate, and don't clutter the thread so there's a simple, easy read-through disproof. If on the other hand you think it could work, let's see if that can be proved and, in the same vein, it's an easy read-through of a counter to an RE argument.

As I imagine everyone here knows, the International Space Station, or at least a light claimed to be it, can be seen on Earth
https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/sightings/
http://www.isstracker.com/

The ISS completes a journey in 92 minutes.

Goals of this thread
To determine the basic specs of the ISS. Things like how fast it needs to be going, whether there are any opportunities for it to be refueled, and potentially even height/size. Does it need to be in space? How feasible is it to function in atmosphere?

Things to do
If we can work out the distance along the ground the ISS appears to take, then on a flat Earth that easily tells us how much distance it covers itself and so its speed. Ideally we'll get a lower bound, so that we have the best chance of making the ISS work.
With that, we can calculate what could happen when it's out of view of land over the ocean (for however long that is), what acceleration would be needed for it to be replaced with a fuelled up version etc, or consider in-air refuelling. We can also determine how much force from air resistance and such it's under, and how that compares with objects like planes.
Calculate a minimum altitude, and from that an estimate as to mass to work out what forces (at a basic level) would be needed.

Caveats
Initially we'll work with basic principles as those will be most persuasive. If necessary, concepts like aetheric whirlpools and laevorotatory subquarks can be included if the conclusion is otherwise too unwieldy.

Why don't you just go to the source ? Plenty of info here to keep you occupied and you seem to have nothing else to do but come up with silly calculations that lead to nothing.

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/np-2015-05-022-jsc-iss-guide-2015-update-111015-508c.pdf
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 24, 2018, 11:42:47 AM
Why don't you just go to the source ? Plenty of info here to keep you occupied and you seem to have nothing else to do but come up with silly calculations that lead to nothing.
You realise I'm a round earther, right? This is what's called 'making a good argument.' If you want to argue that FEers should accept official sources etc etc go do that somewhere else, and try to provide more than a random link to justify it else you're not going to come across particularly well.
Personally I'm of the opinion that the reason RET is a better model than FET is because of reasons that can actually be determined, and equally I'm honest enough to admit that random bits of garbage thrown out don't inherently make a good argument. So if this ends with solid, numbers-based proof that the ISS can't exist on a flat Earth without some major changes, I wouldn't call that 'nothing,' I'd call that a good case. And if, on the flipside, this ends with the revelation that the ISS can be feasibly faked, then I'd call that worth knowing and a reason to retire that particular argument and move onto examining others (neutrino experiments, aligned telescopes, necessary properties of light...). Either way, worth it, there's no loss.

If this bugs you so much, butt out, there's a whole forum for you to get mad in.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: rabinoz on November 24, 2018, 12:44:57 PM
Why don't you just go to the source ? Plenty of info here to keep you occupied and you seem to have nothing else to do but come up with silly calculations that lead to nothing.
You realise I'm a round earther, right? This is what's called 'making a good argument.' If you want to argue that FEers should accept official sources etc etc go do that somewhere else, and try to provide more than a random link to justify it else you're not going to come across particularly well.
Personally I'm of the opinion that the reason RET is a better model than FET is because of reasons that can actually be determined, and equally I'm honest enough to admit that random bits of garbage thrown out don't inherently make a good argument. So if this ends with solid, numbers-based proof that the ISS can't exist on a flat Earth without some major changes, I wouldn't call that 'nothing,' I'd call that a good case. And if, on the flipside, this ends with the revelation that the ISS can be feasibly faked, then I'd call that worth knowing and a reason to retire that particular argument and move onto examining others (neutrino experiments, aligned telescopes, necessary properties of light...). Either way, worth it, there's no loss.

If this bugs you so much, butt out, there's a whole forum for you to get mad in.

Do you have any suggestions as to how the ISS could be faked considering these four points:
. . . . . . . .
Hence "to fake the ISS" would require objects that:
  • looked like the ISS in profile, maybe modified U2s,
  • could appear at any predicted location on time,
  • travelling in the right direction and
  • at what appeared from the ground to be the correct speed.
   
But the elephant in the room would be the hoaxing organisation's complete ignorance of where these observers might be.
They could easily be at sea so to me it seems well nigh impossible but I'm sure there are plenty here more devious than I.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 24, 2018, 12:52:55 PM
Given that altitude defines the reference length, density and dynamic viscosity, may be able to come up with a formula that ties everything together in terms of that variable. could get ugly, but would also help immensely.
Update: ugly was an understatement. I've got a set of 14 simultaneous equations, with something of order 1030 on one side, and 10-11 on the other. Thanks to the magic of online calculators I can solve that, but one of those coefficients is still of order 10^-24 so it's a party.
Next up, going through all that again for dynamic viscosity. Which is going to be much more of approximation unless anyone can find decent figures for it at altitudes higher than 80km.

I'm not sure it's a formula anyone would ever want to use for anything, but hey, it's coming.

Do you have any suggestions as to how the ISS could be faked considering these four points:
Did you miss the fact that that's what this entire thread is working towards seeing if it's possible? This isn't magic, you don't wave your hands and get a justified answer in a flash of light, it takes work and work takes time.

  • looked like the ISS in profile, maybe modified U2s,
  • could appear at any predicted location on time,
  • travelling in the right direction and
  • at what appeared from the ground to be the correct speed.
   
Location, direction and speed basically come down to the same thing, assuming a path exists (which I'm just going to concede, map questions are a separate topic entirely and really no point in dredging that up on top of everything else). Appearance in of itself is easy, especially given the earlier discussion with Jimmy positing that it would need to essentially switch on illumination, so what we see is less significant than whether there is any vehicle of sufficient size and shape to keep at those velocities.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: rabinoz on November 24, 2018, 03:00:49 PM
  • looked like the ISS in profile, maybe modified U2s,
  • could appear at any predicted location on time,
  • travelling in the right direction and
  • at what appeared from the ground to be the correct speed.
   
Location, direction and speed basically come down to the same thing, assuming a path exists (which I'm just going to concede, map questions are a separate topic entirely and really no point in dredging that up on top of everything else). Appearance in of itself is easy, especially given the earlier discussion with Jimmy positing that it would need to essentially switch on illumination, so what we see is less significant than whether there is any vehicle of sufficient size and shape to keep at those velocities.
But my point is that observers can expect to see (and do see) the ISS anywhere along the predicted flight path.
Since the ISS is claimed to orbits the earth in just over 90 minutes there seems no way that there could be a "fake ISS" show up all these locations at the predicted times.

Whether the earth is flat or a Globe the distance covered on each orbit has to be tens of thousands of kilometres - somewhere around 40,000 km.
So these fake ISSs have to be able to appear at almost random locations unknown to the hoaxers exactly on the predicted path and at the predicted time.
Otherwise, videos like this would be quite impossible:
This video shows a way to measure the ISS height using two cameras:

Using Cameras To Measure The Real Altitude Of The Space Station, Scott Manley
For a fake ISS to be in the right location at the right time for videos like that would be quite impossible because the hoaxer had no knowledge of where Scott Manley and his daughter might be located.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 24, 2018, 03:19:18 PM
Since the ISS is claimed to orbits the earth in just over 90 minutes there seems no way that there could be a "fake ISS" show up all these locations at the predicted times.
Again, the whole point of this thread is to prove or disprove that claim. If you aren't going to add anything, butt out.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: NotSoSkeptical on November 24, 2018, 03:40:19 PM
Since the ISS is claimed to orbits the earth in just over 90 minutes there seems no way that there could be a "fake ISS" show up all these locations at the predicted times.
Again, the whole point of this thread is to prove or disprove that claim. If you aren't going to add anything, butt out.

No the whole point of the thread is how would you fake the ISS.  Rab's point is inline with the question.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Stash on November 24, 2018, 04:24:02 PM
Since the ISS is claimed to orbits the earth in just over 90 minutes there seems no way that there could be a "fake ISS" show up all these locations at the predicted times.
Again, the whole point of this thread is to prove or disprove that claim. If you aren't going to add anything, butt out.

No the whole point of the thread is how would you fake the ISS.  Rab's point is inline with the question.

I agree, it may all come down to speed.

If it's agreed that it is some sort of human made device and it follows a predictable path as anyone can see it, the conundrum is how does it make it's way in 92 minutes per cycle. If you solve for that fact alone, job done.

My only guess is that there's more than one. Maybe 50+ of them, that cloak and decloak as needed to somewhere make the appearance of going that fast.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: rabinoz on November 24, 2018, 04:28:58 PM
Since the ISS is claimed to orbits the earth in just over 90 minutes there seems no way that there could be a "fake ISS" show up all these locations at the predicted times.
Again, the whole point of this thread is to prove or disprove that claim.
I believe that I disproved that possibility of faking the ISS. If you claim otherwise please present your case instead of your continual bitching.
If you haven't a case just admit it.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 24, 2018, 04:48:13 PM
Since the ISS is claimed to orbits the earth in just over 90 minutes there seems no way that there could be a "fake ISS" show up all these locations at the predicted times.
Again, the whole point of this thread is to prove or disprove that claim. If you aren't going to add anything, butt out.

No the whole point of the thread is how would you fake the ISS.  Rab's point is inline with the question.
All he did was list exactly the question I examined a while back in significantly less detail as it just concluced "Seems odd, let's not bother." He doesn't have a point, I'm not going to waste time on him.

I agree, it may all come down to speed.

If it's agreed that it is some sort of human made device and it follows a predictable path as anyone can see it, the conundrum is how does it make it's way in 92 minutes per cycle. If you solve for that fact alone, job done.

My only guess is that there's more than one. Maybe 50+ of them, that cloak and decloak as needed to somewhere make the appearance of going that fast.
In of itself, the biggest issue would seem to be drag. Speed itself is only a partial factor; it's easier to go faster at higher altitudes after all. Then there's size; the HTV-2 Falcon was just four metres across, translating its speed to something comparable to a U2 is tricky.

I've derived a formula to approximate the Reynolds number for anything in terms of its altitude and distance travelled alone, just writing it up now. A bit of a nightmare to look at, but ultimately just needs substitution, and possibly a notepad as it'd likely have to be typed into a calculator piece by piece. Accurate up to the thermosphere, maybe a little beyond but it's hard to find data on the air's dynamic viscosity beyond that (short of Sutherland's formula, which would make it even worse). That is, anything below 85km high, which gives a length from front-to-back of about 22m, a little longer than the U2.
Probably end up repeating all this later when I post it, but hey.

The issue I see with the multiple ISS fill-ins is that going by all the data we have, only one is ever visible at a time. There could still be multiple carefully coordinated, skipping out over oceans etc, but we still need to reckon with what can essentially be modelled as one thing going on a journey with oceans and such cut out; that distance though may well be much smaller.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Space Cowgirl on November 24, 2018, 04:49:26 PM
Since the ISS is claimed to orbits the earth in just over 90 minutes there seems no way that there could be a "fake ISS" show up all these locations at the predicted times.
Again, the whole point of this thread is to prove or disprove that claim.
I believe that I disproved that possibility of faking the ISS. If you claim otherwise please present your case instead of your continual bitching.
If you haven't a case just admit it.

If you make another post like this, I'm going to ban you.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: NotSoSkeptical on November 24, 2018, 04:56:15 PM
Since the ISS is claimed to orbits the earth in just over 90 minutes there seems no way that there could be a "fake ISS" show up all these locations at the predicted times.
Again, the whole point of this thread is to prove or disprove that claim.
I believe that I disproved that possibility of faking the ISS. If you claim otherwise please present your case instead of your continual bitching.
If you haven't a case just admit it.

If you make another post like this, I'm going to ban you.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I find nothing wrong with what he said.  Jane spends more time arguing the semantics of one's point then actually making a relevant point to the topic.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Space Cowgirl on November 24, 2018, 05:02:17 PM
If you have a question about moderation start a thread in S&C.

If you're not interested in discussing what it would take to fake the ISS, then find another thread to post in.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 24, 2018, 05:25:35 PM
Ok, here we go! For context, the Reynolds' number of a U2 is roughly 27 million, by my calculations, and if my understanding is correct a smaller Reynolds number indicates more drag.
To calculate the Reynolds number of an ISS-substitute we need estimates of the altitude we want it to be (h), and the length of its journey (d). Technically we should work in metres, but it's a pain enough to use this so I kept h in km as that never actually enters into it; it cancels in finding L, and is only used in the main equation to approximate its corresponding density or viscosity.

If you want to derive this yourself:
https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/24641/what-is-the-relation-between-an-airplanes-altitude-and-the-drag-it-is-experienc/24644
I used that, plus polynomial interpolation on what data I could gather. It should be more accurate from 0-85km, up to the thermosphere, but data on viscosity is lacking there beyond a paper that states in the abstract kinematic viscosity tends to zero, and so Reynolds' number would become infinite and drag as such minimal. L comes from proportions, something to simulate what the ISS is meant to be, V is just a basic calculation of velocity.
Looks awful, but is generally pretty simple if tedious to apply. Can be extended above 85km, but is likely to become unreliable the further you get.

(https://i.imgur.com/pMrBt0O.png)

The denominator is the most unreliable part. The numerator used more points to be accurate up to 200km. If I find more data, I'll update this.

This is probably most useful for those that have the software to program something that does all the work for you if you input the values. I used to, but not on this computer. Calculating directly is possible too, and definitely easier, if you have the data.

For example, the ISS mentioned as a lower bound, travelling at 5833m/s, at an altitude of 80km, has Reynolds number of almost two hundred thousand.
For comparison, the NASA X-43 rocket plane, which flew at a more defined altitude than the Falcon and is otherwise the fastest aerial vehicle I could find record of, had one of 17 million, meaning significantly less drag. If you want to run the numbers on other planes, please do and add them so we can get an idea of what kind of number makes for a feasible flight. Direct is probably fastest without some snappy way to get this approximation more wieldy, to be honest, making that a waste of time but hey, it was fun.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 24, 2018, 05:26:21 PM
Maybe I'm missing something, but I find nothing wrong with what he said.  Jane spends more time arguing the semantics of one's point then actually making a relevant point to the topic.
Um. I'm trying to run calculations to confirm or deny what Rab just threw out with zero justification. What about that is semantics?
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: boydster on November 24, 2018, 05:33:37 PM
I knew I've missed some posts as I read this over, but I was thinking about the angular size part of the discussion and wanted to add that we should consider the angular size of the ISS not only when it is directly overhead, but also when it is as close to the horizon as it can be viewed. The difference in those figures might help narrow down possible length/height values
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: NotSoSkeptical on November 24, 2018, 05:43:48 PM
Ok, here we go! For context, the Reynolds' number of a U2 is roughly 27 million, by my calculations, and if my understanding is correct a smaller Reynolds number indicates more drag.
To calculate the Reynolds number of an ISS-substitute we need estimates of the altitude we want it to be (h), and the length of its journey (d). Technically we should work in metres, but it's a pain enough to use this so I kept h in km as that never actually enters into it; it cancels in finding L, and is only used in the main equation to approximate its corresponding density or viscosity.

If you want to derive this yourself:
https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/24641/what-is-the-relation-between-an-airplanes-altitude-and-the-drag-it-is-experienc/24644
I used that, plus polynomial interpolation on what data I could gather. It should be more accurate from 0-85km, up to the thermosphere, but data on viscosity is lacking there beyond a paper that states in the abstract kinematic viscosity tends to zero, and so Reynolds' number would become infinite and drag as such minimal. L comes from proportions, something to simulate what the ISS is meant to be, V is just a basic calculation of velocity.
Looks awful, but is generally pretty simple if tedious to apply. Can be extended above 85km, but is likely to become unreliable the further you get.

(https://i.imgur.com/pMrBt0O.png)

The denominator is the most unreliable part. The numerator used more points to be accurate up to 200km. If I find more data, I'll update this.

This is probably most useful for those that have the software to program something that does all the work for you if you input the values. I used to, but not on this computer. Calculating directly is possible too, and definitely easier, if you have the data.

For example, the ISS mentioned as a lower bound, travelling at 5833m/s, at an altitude of 80km, has Reynolds number of almost two hundred thousand.
For comparison, the NASA X-43 rocket plane, which flew at a more defined altitude than the Falcon and is otherwise the fastest aerial vehicle I could find record of, had one of 17 million, meaning significantly less drag. If you want to run the numbers on other planes, please do and add them so we can get an idea of what kind of number makes for a feasible flight. Direct is probably fastest without some snappy way to get this approximation more wieldy, to be honest, making that a waste of time but hey, it was fun.

Why don't you use the Reynolds Calculator here:  https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/reynolds.html

And how is this relevant to faking ISS?  Aircraft designs take into account physical limitations, such as when drag will exceed the ability of the aircraft to hold together.  No aircraft could reach the speeds to fake the ISS within their maximum flight ceiling without their wings being torn from the fuselage.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 24, 2018, 05:54:03 PM
Why don't you use the Reynolds Calculator here:  https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/reynolds.html
The phrase 'euqal to the dynamic viscosity' for one, the whole page feels a bit low-grade. I did come across that, but when I tried to confirm values via direct calculation the numbers came out off; I think that basically does just what my formula does, but with less data points as they clearly didn't spend too much effort on the rest of the page. I'm instinctively wary of any page that starts off with obvious MS paint. As an easier approximation though, sure, probably should've mentioned it.

My biggest concern though is lack of knowledge; it doesn't mention the points to which it's accurate, which does limit its usefulness. I can easily tell something goes wrong because if I plug in a high altitude and low speed it gives a low number, indicating higher drag from what I've seen, so...
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 24, 2018, 05:57:10 PM
And how is this relevant to faking ISS?  Aircraft designs take into account physical limitations, such as when drag will exceed the ability of the aircraft to hold together.  No aircraft could reach the speeds to fake the ISS within their maximum flight ceiling without their wings being torn from the fuselage.
Which this gives a rough way to actually measure; the drag an aircraft can stand up to should at least compare with a potential ISS. When we're orders of magnitude away, it's not worth going into the nitty-gritty.

You're saying that, I'm proving it. That's why it's relevant.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 24, 2018, 06:05:28 PM
Personal note:
Linking this to keep track: https://www.theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?topic=78484.msg2118105#msg2118105
As far as I can tell, barring startling discoveries I think this proves the ISS, if fake, must be above 85km. Likely a fair way above, but that's the threshold.

In lieu of getting more data on dynamic viscosity, another angle to examine would be mass. Thanks to that height we have a lower bound for the size of the ISS, and thanks to the lower air density a limited number of means of propulsion. If we can determine the lightest material it could be made from, using an estimate of volume from the length and measurements of images captured from Earth, we can gauge what would be required to make such an object stay aloft when it cannot orbit.

There's also models that change things up, to mention, the most notable being dome models where the ISS can be said to be a projection. Could be fun working out the energy that'd require.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: NotSoSkeptical on November 24, 2018, 06:29:10 PM
Why don't you use the Reynolds Calculator here:  https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/reynolds.html
The phrase 'euqal to the dynamic viscosity' for one, the whole page feels a bit low-grade. I did come across that, but when I tried to confirm values via direct calculation the numbers came out off; I think that basically does just what my formula does, but with less data points as they clearly didn't spend too much effort on the rest of the page. I'm instinctively wary of any page that starts off with obvious MS paint. As an easier approximation though, sure, probably should've mentioned it.

My biggest concern though is lack of knowledge; it doesn't mention the points to which it's accurate, which does limit its usefulness. I can easily tell something goes wrong because if I plug in a high altitude and low speed it gives a low number, indicating higher drag from what I've seen, so...

I don't think a lower number necessarily equates to higher drag.

While I'm not a fan of wikipedia, it provides some interesting information on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynolds_number

Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 24, 2018, 06:36:10 PM
Why don't you use the Reynolds Calculator here:  https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/reynolds.html
The phrase 'euqal to the dynamic viscosity' for one, the whole page feels a bit low-grade. I did come across that, but when I tried to confirm values via direct calculation the numbers came out off; I think that basically does just what my formula does, but with less data points as they clearly didn't spend too much effort on the rest of the page. I'm instinctively wary of any page that starts off with obvious MS paint. As an easier approximation though, sure, probably should've mentioned it.

My biggest concern though is lack of knowledge; it doesn't mention the points to which it's accurate, which does limit its usefulness. I can easily tell something goes wrong because if I plug in a high altitude and low speed it gives a low number, indicating higher drag from what I've seen, so...

I don't think a lower number necessarily equates to higher drag.

While I'm not a fan of wikipedia, it provides some interesting information on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynolds_number
Go by: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_coefficient#Background

My understanding is that for more aerodynamic shapes, the drag coefficient basically only depends on that number, and going by the link I found (and its claim that high kinematic viscosity=high drag and vice versa was corroborated by other resources) that's the direction it goes. There likely are situations where the correllation isn't so clear-cut, but we dismiss them because we want to use the most aerodynamic shape possible.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: NotSoSkeptical on November 24, 2018, 06:49:28 PM
Why don't you use the Reynolds Calculator here:  https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/reynolds.html
The phrase 'euqal to the dynamic viscosity' for one, the whole page feels a bit low-grade. I did come across that, but when I tried to confirm values via direct calculation the numbers came out off; I think that basically does just what my formula does, but with less data points as they clearly didn't spend too much effort on the rest of the page. I'm instinctively wary of any page that starts off with obvious MS paint. As an easier approximation though, sure, probably should've mentioned it.

My biggest concern though is lack of knowledge; it doesn't mention the points to which it's accurate, which does limit its usefulness. I can easily tell something goes wrong because if I plug in a high altitude and low speed it gives a low number, indicating higher drag from what I've seen, so...

I don't think a lower number necessarily equates to higher drag.

While I'm not a fan of wikipedia, it provides some interesting information on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynolds_number
Go by: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_coefficient#Background

My understanding is that for more aerodynamic shapes, the drag coefficient basically only depends on that number, and going by the link I found (and its claim that high kinematic viscosity=high drag and vice versa was corroborated by other resources) that's the direction it goes. There likely are situations where the correllation isn't so clear-cut, but we dismiss them because we want to use the most aerodynamic shape possible.

If I'm reading that correctly, a lower number means less drag.

Quote
For a streamlined body to achieve a low drag coefficient, the boundary layer around the body must remain attached to the surface of the body for as long as possible, causing the wake to be narrow. A high form drag results in a broad wake. The boundary layer will transition from laminar to turbulent if Reynolds number of the flow around the body is sufficiently great. Larger velocities, larger objects, and lower viscosities contribute to larger Reynolds numbers.[9]

A low drag coefficient is low drag.  Low drag allows for a narrow wake which allows for laminar flow which is principle in low Reynolds Numbers.


Additionally:

Quote
The Reynolds number will be low for small objects, low velocities, and high viscosity fluids.

All of those have low drag.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on November 25, 2018, 03:54:21 AM
If I'm reading that correctly, a lower number means less drag.
Only if it's an increasing formula.

Quote
Larger velocities, larger objects, and lower viscosities contribute to larger Reynolds numbers.[9]
This is the important part. If you spend much time google aerodynamic flow you find it gets a little non-intuitive. "There might be a few cases where viscous drag increases with Reynolds number (like laminar airfoils which lose their laminar bucket when the Reynolds number goes up), but in general the observation is true."
If we focus on the best case scenario, which is what we need to be doing here, we can assume laminar flows regardless.

My understanding is that there's no one value where the flow transitions independently of any other concerns, that's why aerodynamics can be such a pain to work with, it seems to almost all be determined by a case by case basis. This is never going to be a 100% accurate description when we're trying to keep as general as possible, so we don't try for one, we just try for a bound. The most hypothetically ideal aerodynamic shape with a perpetually laminar flow that never shifts from that. All that we really need is a ballpark figure of what works to compare with.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: rabinoz on November 25, 2018, 05:08:03 AM

A low drag coefficient is low drag.  Low drag allows for a narrow wake which allows for laminar flow which is principle in low Reynolds Numbers.

Additionally:

Quote
The Reynolds number will be low for small objects, low velocities, and high viscosity fluids.

All of those have low drag.
At hypersonic speeds, the Reynolds number starts to lose its significance and many othe factors come into play.

By 85,000 m altitude, you are above the limit where aerodynamic lift can support much of the weight of an aircraft. 
Before the 100 km was decided as the Kármán line there was much discussion on whether it should be at 80 km or 100 km.

Here are some relevant references:
         Kármán line. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%A1rm%C3%A1n_line)
         The edge of space: Revisiting the Karman Line. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094576518308221)
and
Quote
... flew 2000 miles per hour (3,200 km/h) at 126,000 feet (38,500 m), or 24 miles up. At this altitude and speed aerodynamic lift still carries 98 per cent of the weight of the plane, and only two per cent is carried by centrifugal force, or Kepler Force, as the space scientists call it.

But at 300,000 feet (91,440 m) or 57 miles up this relationship is reversed because there is no longer any air to contribute lift. Only centrifugal force prevails. This is certainly a physical boundary ...

(Quote from Von Kármán's autobiography, from Wikipedia)
And on a flat earth there is no "centrifugal force, or Kepler Force".

Have fun!
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: JackBlack on November 25, 2018, 12:08:57 PM
My biggest concern though is lack of knowledge; it doesn't mention the points to which it's accurate, which does limit its usefulness. I can easily tell something goes wrong because if I plug in a high altitude and low speed it gives a low number, indicating higher drag from what I've seen, so...
My understanding is that the Reynolds number is the velocity times a length (which can be the square root of an area of importance for drag) divided by the viscosity.
Likewise the drag force is proportional to the velocity squared times an area, as well as the density of the fluid and the drag coefficient. Assuming we have a newtonian fluid, then that means it is proportional to the Reynolds number squared times the drag coefficient.

That makes me assume high Reynolds number should be high drag.

The question then is how does the drag coefficient change with velocity (or Reynolds number).

From what I can quickly find, it seems that for low Re, there is an inverse linear relationship, meaning you end up with roughly drag is proportional to the Reynolds number.
But then at high Re, you end up with it much higher than that expected trend, with it flattening off and having a transition, as it moves to turbulent flow.
This results in the drag being much closer to just proportional to the reynolds number squared.

So that makes me think that while the correlation isn't perfect, high Re=high drag.

The time this doesn't hold is when you switch between fluids.
Fluids with low viscosities have a higher Re, but a lower drag.
The leftover parts of the equation is density/kinematic viscosity^2 = 1/(density*dynamic viscosity).
So the question then becomes how does changing this effect it.


My other concern is how well this holds in the supersonic regime and above, and how well it holds in very low density environments.

Also, should this be here or in the science and tech section?
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Curiouser and Curiouser on November 25, 2018, 06:46:47 PM

Things to do
If we can work out the distance along the ground the ISS appears to take, then on a flat Earth that easily tells us how much distance it covers ..

Calculate a minimum altitude, and from that an estimate as to mass to work out what forces (at a basic level) would be needed.


Relatively easy to do, assuming you have some rudimentary observing equipment.

Some web sites (like heavens-above.com) give accurate data on the predicted track of the ISS at a location. For this exercise, it is immaterial how the calculations are made, and what model is used to generate the data. The only thing that matters is that the resultant data reflects what actually happens.

Verify for yourself that the data is roughly correct. That is, generate an ISS pass prediction, and observe with telescope or binoculars on a mount with azimuth and elevation circles that 1) the ISS reaches the same maximum elevation angle as the prediction within about a degree and 2) the time at which it does so agrees with the prediction within about a second.

Do this as many times as it takes to convince yourself that the data is correct. Depending on how paranoid you're feeling, make predictions for different locations (at least 10 miles away) and repeat. Have trusted friends within 50 miles or so perform the same measurement, if you have any friends you trust.

Choose a prediction where the ISS will be going directly overhead. Station a trusted friend 50-60 miles along the predicted track. (I assume you can trust car odometers to be able to tell when someone is roughly 50-60 miles away so you don't have to use Google Maps.) Record the time at which the ISS goes directly over your location. Have your friend record the same, or be on the phone with him at the same time (that way you can verify you're both seeing the same bright object traveling the same direction). 50-60 miles divided by time gives ground speed. Don't worry, the difference between flat earth and round earth will be a small error in this calculation.

At another time, choose a prediction where the ISS goes directly over your location. Station a trusted friend 50-60 miles perpendicular to the predicted track. You verify that the path takes it directly overhead (90 degrees); your friend measures the maximum elevation angle. Using basic geometry, calculate the altitude. Again, flat versus round makes only a small difference.

Since I have been using predictors to spot and track the ISS for decades, and the results have always turned out as predicted, I trust them and can use their data to make a preliminary calculation of speed and altitude.

Ground speed: About 5 miles per second
Altitude: (Flat Earth) 264 miles (Round Earth) 245 miles

If you don't have friends to help you, choose any predicted pass to make these calculations, and spot verify with observations from one location or the other. Repeat as often as necessary with different path locations and observer locations to convince yourself that no one can be "faking" the predictions.

Even if you want to put unnecessarily huge error bars on these observations (a situation that can be remedied by statistics of multiple observations), you're still left with an object with a speed in excess of a mile per second and an altitude in excess of 100 miles.

That what you're looking for?
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: JimmyCrack on December 08, 2018, 11:59:17 PM
A lot.

First all the countries in the world that are involved with it would have to cover it up.  And all those people working on the ground would have to swear to secrecy that it didn't exist.  There are thousands of people around the world who would have to comply with this never-tell policy.  And from my experience, you cannot keep a secret that big for a long time.

Second...  you would have to fake out all the journalists who would is looking to make themselves famous. 

Once you get past those things, which is practically impossible, you would need to have a bunch of good video like hollywood style or even more so that would show the astronauts in the space station. 

Finally, you would need to have the congress and all the law makers around the world agree to cover it up.  There is lots of money going to the space program and the space station.  All the time these programs are being challenged by people to shut them down.  Why would they fight for it if it was not real? 

Just my 2 cents on it.
Title: Re: What would it take to fake the ISS?
Post by: Slemon on December 09, 2018, 02:52:21 AM
And from my experience, you cannot keep a secret that big for a long time.
I am intrigued by your back story.

Quote
Second...  you would have to fake out all the journalists who would is looking to make themselves famous. 

Once you get past those things, which is practically impossible, you would need to have a bunch of good video like hollywood style or even more so that would show the astronauts in the space station. 
More focused on the practicalities for now, the rest gets way too nebulous to both with. I put my mass calculations aside for one day and now I can't find them, so hey, that's fun. And forgot about this thread. I do that a lot.

Quote
Finally, you would need to have the congress and all the law makers around the world agree to cover it up.  There is lots of money going to the space program and the space station.  All the time these programs are being challenged by people to shut them down.  Why would they fight for it if it was not real?
Basic conspiracy answer, they still get the money, so long as faking is cheaper than the reality...