Could out of control Chinese space station hit a major city? Experts draw up danger zone...

Daily Mail UK ^ | http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5065253/China-s-space-station-crash-Earth-4-months.ht | Shivali Best

[BenLurkin]

The European Space Agency (ESA) predicts that the 8.5-tonne spacecraft will make an 'uncontrolled re-entry' to our planet between January and March 2018. While a precise landing location remains unclear, ESA has provided the latitudes between which Tiangong-1 is likely to land – and countries at risk include Spain, Italy, Turkey, India and parts of the US.

While most of the space station will break up, parts of flaming debris could land on Earth, experts claim. 

...

The craft is now at about 300 kilometres (186 miles) altitude in an orbit that is expected to decay sometime between January and March 2018, when it will make an uncontrolled re-entry.

Holger Krag, head of ESA's Space Debris Office, said: 'Owing to the geometry of the station's orbit, we can already exclude the possibility that any fragments will fall over any spot further north than 43°N or further south than 43°S.

[BenLurkin]

While a precise landing location remains unclear, ESA has provided the latitudes between which Tiangong-1 is likely to land – and countries at risk include Spain, Italy, Turkey, India and parts of the US.  ESA says no fragments will fall higher than 43°N or further south than 43°S

[Wuli]

My prediction? Chinatown in San Francisco. That would be “karma”.

[Red Badger]

Mecca, smack dab in the middle!......................

[BenLurkin]

Peking would be karma. Chinatown would be irony.

[BenLurkin]

Works for me!

[Red Badger]

Castro District.....................

[linear]

Glad to see the South Sandwich Islands are out of the danger zone.

[teeman8r]

it will probably hit earth somewhere.

my guess... arizona.

[Red Badger]

The problem with these things is even knowing all the stuff they know and all the supercomputers there are just too many other variables to account for.

They will not know where it will ‘hit’ until it starts to burn and break up, and even then the debris field would be huge and long..................

[dfwgator]

“Screw those commie bastards, and screw their little wussy space station”

[Political Junkie Too]

I hope it hits my neighbor's house. He always plays his stereo too loud.

-PJ

[doorgunner69]

Castro District.....................

And spread tainted debris everywhere?

Oh wait, that is in San Fagsicko, so no one would notice.

[Red Badger]

It might well clean up the place!......................

[Red Badger]

McCain’s house?.....................

[Red Badger]

It might be little, but it’s still a mass of 8 metric tonnes...................

[Responsibility2nd]

Could out of control Chinese space station hit a major city?

If so - can we pick which city? I see San Fransicko is already picked. I’m fine with that.

[Red Badger]

Maybe it’ll hit my house.

I could use a new house....................

[Red Badger]

Mecca and Arizona are already picked as well..............

[RayChuang88]

The problem with these things is even knowing all the stuff they know and all the supercomputers there are just too many other variables to account for.

Correct. They have to consider things like the "drag" from the solar wind just for starters.

[Tenacious 1]

This is about as precise as one of them climate change model thangies.

Apparently the Canadians, Russians, Polar Bears and some penguins are safe.