A map produced by the Center for Orbital and Debris Studies shows a yellow icon indicating where the satellite will likely re-enter the atmosphere and yellow lines showing where the debris could hit the ground. (Center for Orbital and Debris Studies)r the atmosphere and yellow lines showing where the debris could hit the ground. (Center for Orbital and Debris Studies)
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External Links
- NASA UARS updates
- Amateur astronomer's video and photos of the satellite
- Center for Orbital and Reentry Debris Studies
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Falling satellite5:13
Re-entry of the six-tonne Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite is expected between 11 p.m. ET Friday and 3 a.m ET Saturday, NASA said.
Earlier, NASA reported that the satellite had changed its orientation, throwing off earlier predictions about its descent and opening up the possibility that some debris will land in the U.S.
Part of it is expected to burn up in the atmosphere, but some metal chunks are expected to reach the ground.
Earlier in the week, the U.S. space agency had predicted the satellite would land Friday afternoon or evening and would miss North America.
The UARS satellite, launched in 1991 to take measurements of the ozone layer, has a mass of almost six tonnes and is a little over 10 metres long with a diameter of about 4.5 metres.
It was decommissioned in 2005 and other satellites have taken over the types of measurements it used to make.
NASA is warning the public not to touch possible satellite debris they find. The materials themselves are not hazardous, but people could be cut by the sharp metal edges.
