>A single 5-mile long chunk of station is a hell of a lot Less of a
>hazzard to navigation in the vastness of space than a tillion small chunks.
>Yes, most will in 100 years de-orbit into the planet below, but surely not
>all.

There are weapons systems on board that station, computer systems, other stuff
that would be too much of a hassle to dig out, and you don't want squatters
setting up residence there, or raiding the place for what they can get, and
maintaining a military presence there to prevent it would be expensive. With
trade no longer coming through, the money to keep the station operating was
gone.

>One ending which would requre less suspension of disbelief (for me) would
>have beren to de-orbit the station, then blowing it up, as it hits the
>atmosphere.
> This would fully consume the material of the station as small chunks burn
>in the atmosphere, eliminating
>free-space and orbital debris, and no big
>chunks hitting the planet.
> Coulda been a cool FX to watch the debris showering down with a camera
>POV on the planet's surface.

I don't see how sending a 5 mile long station plummeting into the atmosphere of
Epsilon 3 is any more or less real than blowing it up in space, where salvage
crews can come in and take the metal. We already *saw* bits of the debris
burning up in the atmospher in the second shot... and as for sending the whole
thing hurtling down, well, I think Draal might have a thing or two to say about
that....


jms

From: (jmsatb5@aol.com)
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