Posted on 10/13/2017 7:33:26 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Launched in 2011, the 8.5-ton Tiangong-1 space laboratory had originally been a symbol of Beijing's ambitious scientific bid to become a space superpower. However, last year Chinese officials confirmed the country's first orbiting space station had to be scrapped after its functions failed following two years in space.
Since then, the space station known as "Heavenly Palace" has been gradually decaying and, in recent weeks, has accelerated its descent into the Earth's atmosphere.
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While much of the craft is expected to burn up in Earth's atmosphere, McDowell also reportedly said that some parts weighing as much as 100 kilograms could crash-land to Earth with scientists unable to predict where they will come down until only hours beforehand.
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The chance that anyone would be harmed by Tiangong-1's debris is considered highly unlikely.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...
Stopped working after a few years ... yeah like their washing machines and dryers.
And hopefully their planes, tanks, and ships.
Well, like most anything manufactured in China...that didn’t last long.
Not true. It will most likely impact along its orbital path, because it doesn't just randomly flit around the globe:
http://www.n2yo.com/?s=37820
Unlikely? Yes. "Highly unlikely"...Bagdad Bob stuff.
OK ... fair point. So I looked at the orbital path you kindly linked. The current orbit (right now, a few hours from now could be different) is almost entirely over water. Other orbits will take it over the US east coast and other populated areas. Still, most orbits will be over water or sparsely populated areas. I’ll stick with “highly unlikely”; that’s not by any means Baghdad Bob territory.
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