Satellite freefall from space in Sept. 2011

[Footwarrior]

From the NASA UARS page:

Re-entry is expected between 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, and 3 a.m., Sept. 24, Eastern Daylight Time (3 a.m. to 7 a.m. GMT). During that time period, the satellite will be passing over Canada, Africa and Australia, as well as vast areas of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.

 

[mysteriew]

Evidently some plans have been made for reentry of the debris from space exploration.

If by vanishingly small chance, the NASA satellite hit your house, by international treaty, NASA would be responsible for paying compensation for any damage and injuries.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/24/science/space/24satellite.html

So as long as it lands in countries where we have international treaties I guess we are ok.

 

[MarthaM]

CNN's expert on this story just tweeted the following:

@chadmyerscnn
Everywhere east of the rockies (except the canadian rockies) you are in the clear....sleep well no satellite parts for you.

 

[mysteriew]

On Friday night, NASA said it expected the satellite to come crashing down between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. EDT. It was going to be passing over the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans at that time, as well as Canada, Africa and Australia.

"The risk to public safety is very remote," NASA said in a statement.

The Aerospace Corp., which tracks space debris, also estimated the strike would happen sometime between about 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. EDT, which would make a huge difference in where the debris falls. Its projections also put almost all of the U.S. in the clear — with Washington state the lone holdout.

Any surviving wreckage is expected to be limited to a 500-mile swath.
http://www.npr.org/2011/09/23/140759182/falling-satellite-slows-earth-strike-delayed

 

[MarthaM]

And from a couple minutes ago...

@chadmyerscnn
OK..all of U.S. is in the clear except for Washington Oregon, N. Idaho. There will a pass in 80 minutes for you..(if it makes it that far)

 

[Herding Cats]

Well, that's one less thing I need to worry about tonight, then. I'm not in WA or Oregon...LOL.

Back to worrying about 2012, I suppose.

Best-
Herding Cats

 

[MarthaM]

As of about 5 minutes ago:

@chadmyerscnn
leaving Africa now ...heading south of Australia next then over new zealand....Hawaii 35 minutes away...look to S and E

 

[Bree0372]

Well, that's one less thing I need to worry about tonight, then. I'm not in WA or Oregon...LOL.

Back to worrying about 2012, I suppose.

Best-
Herding Cats

Just lovely!!! I'm in Washington. I knew I shouldn't have moved from Florida. :banghead:

I remember several years ago, this thing was predicted to fall to earth in 2012. Maybe not this particular "bus-sized" object, but a "bus-sized" object nonetheless. :waitasec:

 

[MarthaM]

They think it's down already.

From a couple minutes ago:

@NASA
We're still waiting for #UARS Done! confirmation. If debris fell on land (and that's still a BIG if), Canada is most likely area.

and

@chadmyerscnn
parts could have broken off and re-entered over Quebec...with the bulk of #uars still aloft...but I doubt it. This is over. GO TO BED.

 

[mysteriew]

But NASA officials could not immediately confirm where or exactly when the satellite came down, saying only that re-entry occurred during a two-hour period, reports CBS News space analyst Bill Harwood.


"NASA's decommissioned Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite fell back to Earth between 11:23 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 23, and 1:09 a.m. EDT Sept. 24," the agency said in a statement released more than three hours - two complete orbits - after the predicted impact time.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/09/24/earlyshow/saturday/main20111102.shtml

 

[Kimster]

http://wimp.com/nasasatellite/

 

[Noddy]

http://wimp.com/nasasatellite/

Thanks Kimster, that was hilarious. Loved it.