[kellyhound]

A satellite whose orbit is degrading is likely to crash back to Earth on Friday, and 26 pieces have a good chance of surviving the heat of re-entry, NASA said Wednesday.

Despite being pretty sure that the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, or UARS, will re-enter the atmosphere sometime Friday, U.S. time, Mark Matney of NASA's Orbital Debris team told CNN there is no way to know where it will fall.

Because the satellite travels thousands of miles in a matter of minutes, Matney said, even minutes before re-entry it will be impossible to pinpoint an exact location. On top of that, he said, "part of the problem is the spacecraft is tumbling in unpredictable ways and it is very difficult to very precisely pinpoint where it's coming down even right before the re-entry."

[Flaka]

Originally Posted by Blewvane ↗

There's no way of telling which parts will survive, and the parts will be emitting radiation as well. Also NASA doesn't want people poking around inside their technology, and you can't sell the parts on E-bay either.

Cool

I'd find a way to pick the fucker up and keep it. Wouldn't sell it for anything in this world

[Flaka]

Couldn't they just go up in space and bring the fucker down rather than risk peoples lives?

[kellyhound]

The falling spacecraft is expected to begin its final descent to Earth sometime between the hours of noon and midnight US Eastern time on Friday (between 5pm Friday and 5am Saturday British Summer Time), according to an update released by the US space agency.

The satellite will not be passing over North America at the time of re-entry, but Nasa said it was too early to predict the time and location with more certainty.

Further updates will be released by Nasa later on Thursday, and then 12, six and two hours before re-entry.

The space agency anticipates that 26 potentially hazardous parts, weighing a total of 532kg, could remain intact and hit the Earth.

The debris will spread along an estimated 500-mile corridor of the Earth's surface.

Among the parts expected to survive the fiery re-entry are four titanium fuel tanks, four steel flywheel rims and an aluminium structure that alone weighs 158kg.

Depending on their size and shape, the components will strike at speeds of between 55mph (90kph) and 240mph (385kph).

[Faline]

An incredible video has captured the six-ton Nasa satellite doomed to fall to Earth this week - although scientists still cannot predict precisely when or where it will strike.
Astrophotographer Thierry Legault's clip, shot in northern France, shows the 20-year-old Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), appearing as a beaming mass of light as it plummets to Earth - where there is a one in 3,200 chance it could hit someone.
The 1,200lb satellite will, Nasa estimates, break into more than 100 pieces on re-entry, and some will burn up - but it's estimated that around 26 of the heaviest metal pieces WILL hit the surface - in lumps weighing up to 300lbs.



Astrophotographer: Thierry Legault captured the incredible footage in Dunkerque, France on his Celestron EdgeHD 14in Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope:

[Azimuth]

well, look on the bright side...there will be some interesting photos to look at here next week.

[BryanXavier]

[BryanXavier]

It's going to drop in China so they can steal more technology.

[smackem]

This would be a great time to air strike Westboro baptist and blame it on this event.

Did we say the 350lb. object wouldn't strike North America? Miscalculation. Our bad.

[kellyhound]

Hope i see something this night when i'm working