Posted on 03/27/2018 7:57:06 AM PDT by Red Badger
THE REMAINS of an out-of-control Chinese space station are expected to light up the sky with “fireballs” before crashing down to Earth within days.
China’s defunct space station, named Tiangong-1 or “heavenly place”, is expected to fall to Earth between March 30 and April 2, latest estimates suggest.
Most of the eight-tonne space probe, launched in 2011, should “burn up” in the atmosphere before crash landing, Chinese space officials say.
China’s space agency, CNSA, have never fully explained why Tiangong-1 "ceased functioning" on March 16 after reaching its "final phase of life".
According to space experts, the odds of being hit by debris from the rogue space station are astronomical, meaning the threat to human life is minimal.
Nevertheless, Chinese scientists do not know where and when Tiangong-1 will crash, describing its time-frame for re-entry as "highly variable".
MAPPED: Areas within the red line are most at risk from falling Tiangong-1 debris
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Orbiting at about 27,000km/h, Tiangong-1 could re-enter the atmosphere “anywhere between 43ºN and 43ºS” – latitudes that include large swathes of the planet.
"It is impossible to name the exact re-entry location at this stage", an official, who was not named, told China’s Global Times newspaper.
At particular risk in the northern hemisphere are northern parts of the US, including Boston, Des Moines, Detroit, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Salt Lake City.
Florence, Italy, Monaco City and Sochi, Russia, are also in the higher risk region.
In the southern hemisphere, other cities which might be affected include Trelew, Argentina, Christchurch, New Zealand, and Sapporo, Japan.
In the history of spaceflight, no casualties due to falling space debris have ever been confirmed.
Witnesses may potentially see a "series of fireballs streaking across the sky” if skies are clear, according to Markus Dolensky, of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research.
"It is now nearing its fiery demise as it gradually gets slowed down by the fringes of the Earth's upper atmosphere," he said.
Alan Duffy, astrophysics researcher at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia, said China’s lack of transparency has made it difficult to analyse the impact.
“The international community doesn't know what the craft is made of, and that makes estimating the danger more challenging, as hardened fuel containers could reach the ground while lightweight panels won't," he said.
On September 14, 2016, China made an official statement predicting Tiangong-1 would reenter the atmosphere in the latter half of 2017.
The Tiangong-1 spacecraft launched with the aim of using the craft to set up a larger space station.
These are the people who run most of the world now.
Sloppy, mostly retarded jerks who care nothing about anything other themselves.
Great.
“[N]o casualties due to falling space debris have ever been confirmed.”
Okay. None ‘confirmed’.
It’s the end of the world. Or not.
Will it receive the key to the bottomless pit?
Interesting times, and timing wrt falling and rising.
Love the map of possible landing areas.
Basically the entire populated world.
And I feel fine.
Anyone else remember “Bloom County?” Had a series when Skylab was going to fall back to earth and it was projected to hit Opus the penguin.
SKYLAB 2018!!
Goodness gracious!
How many Dead Chinese are onboard ?
Anyone out there hoping for an “interaction” of a large piece of flaming falling debris with their ex-spouse?
Hope it’s not nuclear powered. “Impromptu dirty bomb” anyone?
These are the same people that put lead and other toxic metals in our toothpaste, pet food and child toys after all. Do we really think they care if nuclear waste is spread throughout the atmosphere?
China’s defunct space station, named Tiangong-1 or “heavenly place” …Actually, the name means “heavenly palace”, from 天宮 (Tien-kung in Wade-Giles). And this out of an ideology that is supposed to eschew royalty, too.
So, those crack writers and editors at the Daily Star somehow believe that Sapporo, Japan is in the southern hemisphere?
Really?
Maybe Hokkaido is planning to take a well-deserved vacation south of the equator...
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