The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite was revolving about the world during the last twenty years. The satellite reached what National Aeronautics and Space Administration called "the end of a productive scientific life" a full six years back. UARS is expected to come back to Earth soon. By Saturday, the satellite will re-enter the atmosphere.
How long UARS has been around
The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite was first put into orbit in 1991. The satellite was meant to study the Earth's atmosphere, specifically the ozone layer. The UARS was not supposed to last long. It was only intended to be around three years at first. After 14 years, UARS was running with at least 60 percent of the instruments still working, but NASA chose to shut it down. There was gold foil-like material covering most of UARS which is the size of a bus.
Re-entry may be messy
The satellite has been in what NASA calls a "heavily decaying orbit," and it estimates that UARS will re-enter Earth's atmosphere sometime between Sept. 22 and 24. The majority of the satellite is expected to break up in the atmosphere and melt away, but as much as 100 separate pieces will not melt away entirely. The portions might be very heavy. They could weigh as much as 300 pounds. There's a 1 in 3,200 chance that any UARS piece will hit land, National Aeronautics and Space Administration estimates. There is only one continent that does not have to be concerned. That is Antarctica. The chances that each piece will hit an individual are very slim. It is 1 in 20 trillion.
NASA keeping things safe
There will be updates from National Aeronautics and Space Administration every two hours. The UARS satellite will be safe. Even with that, the best estimate is that NASA will be able to provide two hours' warning on the UARS re-entry. Solar activity is blamed for the speed of UARS's fall. The communication satellite difficulties are also blamed on the activity. The UARS parts may fall quickly, but it is just one of 22,000 pieces of “space junk” going around the earth every day.
Information from
MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44580262/ns/technology_and_science-space/#.Tneq2mOP-_0
NPR: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/09/19/140598814/space-junk-will-fall-to-earth-this-week
NASA.gov: (PDF) http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/585584main_UARS_Status.pdf
Slatest: http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2011...e_expected_to_crash_into_earth_on_friday.html
LA Times: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nat...pert-on-why-nasa-needs-to-clean-up-space.html
How long UARS has been around
The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite was first put into orbit in 1991. The satellite was meant to study the Earth's atmosphere, specifically the ozone layer. The UARS was not supposed to last long. It was only intended to be around three years at first. After 14 years, UARS was running with at least 60 percent of the instruments still working, but NASA chose to shut it down. There was gold foil-like material covering most of UARS which is the size of a bus.
Re-entry may be messy
The satellite has been in what NASA calls a "heavily decaying orbit," and it estimates that UARS will re-enter Earth's atmosphere sometime between Sept. 22 and 24. The majority of the satellite is expected to break up in the atmosphere and melt away, but as much as 100 separate pieces will not melt away entirely. The portions might be very heavy. They could weigh as much as 300 pounds. There's a 1 in 3,200 chance that any UARS piece will hit land, National Aeronautics and Space Administration estimates. There is only one continent that does not have to be concerned. That is Antarctica. The chances that each piece will hit an individual are very slim. It is 1 in 20 trillion.
NASA keeping things safe
There will be updates from National Aeronautics and Space Administration every two hours. The UARS satellite will be safe. Even with that, the best estimate is that NASA will be able to provide two hours' warning on the UARS re-entry. Solar activity is blamed for the speed of UARS's fall. The communication satellite difficulties are also blamed on the activity. The UARS parts may fall quickly, but it is just one of 22,000 pieces of “space junk” going around the earth every day.
Information from
MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44580262/ns/technology_and_science-space/#.Tneq2mOP-_0
NPR: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/09/19/140598814/space-junk-will-fall-to-earth-this-week
NASA.gov: (PDF) http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/585584main_UARS_Status.pdf
Slatest: http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2011...e_expected_to_crash_into_earth_on_friday.html
LA Times: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nat...pert-on-why-nasa-needs-to-clean-up-space.html
