NASA's 7-ton UARS Satellite Tumbling Thru Earth Atmosphere *WATCH REAL-TIME* Where will it hit?

Originally posted by Olivine
Nasa doesn't seem to think it will be over North America when the pieces start falling.....whew!

Update #7
Wed, 21 Sep 2011 06:35:54 PM EDT


As of 1:30 p.m. EDT Sept. 21, 2011, the orbit of UARS was 120 mi by 130 mi (190 km by 205 km). Re-entry is expected sometime during the afternoon of Sept. 23, Eastern Daylight Time. The satellite will not be passing over North America during that time period. It is still too early to predict the time and location of re-entry with any more certainty, but predictions will become more refined in the next 24 to 48 hours.

in the next 24-48 hours? lol

by the end of their predicted period of knowing where it will lane, it will have landed

in 48 hours they will be able to predict it with 100% certainty

reply to post by Highlander64


Yea I'm thinking maybe only like 1-2 hour notice for wherever it will land.

Why wouldn't NASA just come out and says that it's unpredictable because of the bouncing ? they think we wouldn't understand that or something ?

clip of view of Earth from UARS as it glides around into atmosphere



clouds, lightning, city lights, terrain, oceans - amazing!

reply to post by LucidDreamer85

NASA has said why it is unpredictable.

The satellite has an elliptical orbit. Different parts of the orbit are at different altitudes. The "bouncing" is normal and it is predictable.
The problem is that when the satellite is at perigee (the lowest part of the "bounce") the density of the atmosphere is not predictable (because of solar activity) so it is not known how much the satellite will slow down. The satellite is also tumbling, this further complicates the prediction.

The actual date of re-entry is difficult to predict because it depends on solar flux and the spacecraft's orientation as its orbit decays. As re-entry draws closer, predictions on the date will become more reliable.

www.nasa.gov...

latest vid at the moment, sorry its in hindi but seems interesting,


amateur footage


fema poised to respond (wherever?)


www.n2yo.com...

^ looks to be passing over canada then new england area shortly!