Jump to content

Tiangong-1 Space Station to Crash Over Easter


RAnDOOm

Recommended Posts

1521202815_781520_1521470675_noticia_nor
The station is likely to come down in time for Easter


China's out-of-control Tiangong-1 space lab is now expected to fall to Earth between March 30 and April 2, 2018.

Originally launched back in 2011, China's prototype space station Tiangong-1 or 'Heavenly Place' was used as both a manned laboratory and as a test platform to demonstrate orbital docking capabilities.

A few months after it ceased operations in 2016 however, amateur satellite trackers noticed that it seemed to be out of control, something that was later officially confirmed by China's space agency.

Now according to the European Space Agency's Space Debris Office in Darmstadt, Germany, Tiangoing-1 is very likely to fall to Earth at some point between March 30th and April 2nd.

Scientists however were keen to stress that this window is 'highly variable'.

While it isn't clear exactly where the station will come down, the most likely areas include northern China, central Europe, the northern US, New Zealand, South Africa and parts of South America.

The chances of anyone actually being injured by it however are infinitesimally small.

"In the history of spaceflight no known person has ever been harmed by reentering space debris," said research organization Aerospace. "Only one person has ever been recorded as being hit by a piece of space debris and, fortunately, she was not injured."

Full article here: https://www.space.com/40064-china-tiangong-1-space-lab-easter-weekend-reentry.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use. We also recommend reading our Privacy Policy and Guidelines.