NASA UARS Update: Falling Satellite Could Hit U.S.

[snagglepuss]

Source: Long Island Press

We thought we were in the clear, but the United States isn’t out of the woods yet, according to NASA.

The agency had previously stated that the 6 1/2 ton Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) would miss North America, but new information shows that the spacecraft’s speed has slowed down. They now say that the probability of it landing in the U.S. is low but “cannot be discounted because of this changing rate of descent.”

snip

The agency did warn people who find parts of what they believe to be the satellite to inform local law enforcement and not touch it.

snip

While scientists said it is still too early to predict the time and location of re-entry with any certainty, predictions will become more refined in the next 12 to 18 hours.

Read more: http://www.longislandpress.com/2011/09/23/nasa-uars-update-falling-satellite-could-hit-u-s/

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edit to correct source's name

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Good I got one of these!!!!

In good jest of course...

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. I have to admit, I find even the remote possibility of that thing

going right through my roof & crushing me mildly disturbing.

[shanti]

5. well....

at least it would be quick!

[greyl]

3. That's an old report. Latest as of 7:30:46 PM EDT here:

As of 7 p.m. EDT on Sept. 23, 2011, the orbit of UARS was 90 miles by 95 miles (145 km by 150 km). 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. The risk to public safety is very remote.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/uars/index.html

edit to add:
Realtime location viewer here:
http://www.heavens-above.com/orbit.aspx?satid=21701&lat=0&lng=0&loc=Unspecified&alt=0&tz=CET

Occasionally buggy Google Earth browser view here:
http://blogs.agi.com/agi/2011/09/22/where-is-uars-right-now-kml-file/
(give it a few minutes for the satellite and immediate track to appear)

[snagglepuss]

6. Good to know. Thanks for posting. nt

[izquierdista]

4. Not to worry

St. Ronnie's missile defense will blast it to powder and it will require no more than a light dusting to clean up.

What?

You mean the senile fucker spent all that money and the military has shit to show for it?

AIR RAID DRILL EVERYONE UNDER THEIR DESKS!

[MessiahRp]

7. It would be amazing if that thing hit Estate De Cheney... just sayin.. karma...

Rp

[greyl]

8. Re-entry is expected between 11:45 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, and 12:45 a.m., Sept. 24

During that time period, the satellite will be passing over Canada and Africa, as well as vast areas of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. The risk to public safety is very remote.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/uars/index.html

[Ter]

9. Not a chance I'd call anyone

If it's in my backyard, I touch it and keep it.

[Left Coast2020]

15. Then you could put it on E-Bay!!

If solar panels survive, hook em up to your roof!!!

:hide:

[Ter]

19. I would probably get $100,000

:D

[daleo]

10. It's the U.S.'s satellite, so it would be fitting if it landed in the U.S.

It's like packing your garbage out during a hike. Fair's fair.

[struggle4progress]

11. NASA has this nailed down, sorta:

... components of UARS will land within a zone between 57 degrees north latitude and 57 degrees south latitude ... NASA estimates the debris footprint will be about 500 miles long ... http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/uars/index.html

[mindwalker_i]

12. Fuckin terrorist satelite

It's not supposed to hit us! We're God's chosen and stuff.

[struggle4progress]

13. ... Moments ago, as I was writing this, I heard a loud noise and assumed it was the six-tonne Upper

Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) crashing into the newsroom. But thankfully, it was the sound of an intoxicated sports reporter falling into a recycling bin and then firing off a few warning shots from his handgun ...
The sky is falling, the sky is falling . . .
By Ian Gillespie, QMI Agency
Last Updated: September 24, 2011 12:00am
http://www.lfpress.com/comment/2011/09/23/18731231.html

[DemoTex]

14. I watched for the scheduled 9:17-9:20 (PDT) crossing of Portland, OR.

UARS was scheduled to pass over PDX at 9:17 PDT (at 60-degrees altitude), and be in view for 3 minutes. I was ready in my fire lookout tower in the dark desert wilderness about 157 miles south of Mt. Hood. I had an excellent view of the sky from just below the Big Dipper across The-Dome-of-the-World to the low southern constellations. I never saw UARS come over.


I was ready with the big Canon 5D Mk2

[TrogL]

16. where do you get this information? I'd like to see the next pass

[DemoTex]

18. Where? DU, of course!

It was linked in a post in GD, but I did not save that link. Sorry.

[glinda]

17. U R cool. That is all I have 2 say.

[FredStembottom]

21. Dang!

I was thinking that you getting a pic from your tower was a sure thing (barring clouds).
Was looking forward to seeing it here this morning.

:shrug: Oh well.....

[Dover]

20. What's the latest? Any word? ..n/t

[Dover]

22. NASA not sure where it fell. Possibly in the ocean west of Australia.

Text and video here:

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/nasa-uars-satellite-crashes-earth-location-unknown/story?id=14595092