[meteorite-list] I touched a meteor

[tett]

Well, it's a bit of a stretch but...

Got a call from a chap at the Johnson Space Center this week who was trying 
to find out more information on a product my company manufactures.  This 
product is a small fan which NASA uses in the space station to help ciculate 
air over desicant pacs and in turn reduce humidity.  These are battery 
operated blower units with permanent magnet motors.

Some of my little fans must now be replaced and the spent ones are being 
moved by the Russians to the "trash bin" which will be returned to the earth 
and destroyed as it enters the atmospher.  The Russians have asked NASA to 
advise if any of the spent cargo has permanent magnets and if so how 
powerful of a field do they produce.  I guess they need to be careful to 
ensure that none of this cargo can interfere with the space station systems.

So... I was thinking of my poor little fans, which are still good, ands how 
they will burn up in the atmospher.  Then I realized that they will become 
little meteors.  Perhaps, if some are well protected by other debris, they 
could even become meteorites.  Hum.....

Cheers,

tett
Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada