Defunct Satellite Will Fall To Earth This Week

[Crepuscular Ray]

Those of you north of the border if it's not cloudy, shoo outside now and look to the west/southwest!

Edited September 24, 2011 by crepuscular ray

[ZONE 51]

above image is bigger if click on it.

moving so fast!!

Edited September 24, 2011 by ElectricSnowStorm

[A Winter's Tale]

Too cloudy

So what next and what will the next orbit be like?

Has the UK escaped the worst of it?

[weatherobsuk]

nope. Next orbit, which will be 1km lower than this just gone, takes it right over the central belt of England *gets the tinfoil hat and metal detector ready.*

[A Winter's Tale]

nope. Next orbit, which will be 1km lower than this just gone, takes it right over the central belt of England *gets the tinfoil hat and metal detector ready.*

Do you expect it to be at a lower altitude at that stage? Also what happen after that - are we still not safe?

[weatherobsuk]

[Aaron]

Moving fast

[weatherobsuk]

I can't say for sure which pass will inevitably be the one that ends up dispersing enough lateral energy (still kinetically held in orbit) but from 10pm it's lowered some 4km in altitude, it might not sound much but all you need are those extra couple of molecules in altitude encountering the satellite and that's enough friction to take it out of orbit.

I'd be very surprised if the next 2 passes aren't its final ones.

[A Winter's Tale]

So we've got two more attemps before we are safe. Has anyone got the latest altitude and any more predictions?

[r_dancing]

Ok so on it's next pass, if I'm in Manchester which direction am I best looking in?

[ZONE 51]

Imagine circling a match around a match box getting lower and lower with each pass, then think about the match box striker getting hit on a pass of the match then it ignites, this being the satellite hitting the friction layer

Edited September 24, 2011 by ElectricSnowStorm

[weatherobsuk]

Same as me. Looking NorthWest and it'll come almost directly overhead, and exiting to the SouthEast. Hopefully in one piece still.

[A Winter's Tale]

I think the next pass will be the last one for Scotland. After that, England is more at risk of debris.

[r_dancing]

It really is moving fast isn't it?

[weatherobsuk]

Next UK pass...

Rises in the Northwest at 02:33 then overhead at 02:36, and exiting to the Southeast 02:39 (times set for Manchester.)

[A Winter's Tale]

My prediction is:

1. UARS altitude will start to decrease over South America/Atlantic.

It won't have enough time to hit the UK

2. It will decrease on the next run and start to burn up and it will be too far away for any concern over here.

3. It will eventually land over Scotland sometime during the next 24 hours!!

[r_dancing]

Next UK pass...

Rises in the Northwest at 02:33 then overhead at 02:36, and exiting to the Southeast 02:39 (times set for Manchester.)

Cheers for that. Will be stood outside with my cig and brew hoping to see it!

[ZONE 51]

http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110923/nasa-falling-satellite-110923/20110923/?hub=OttawaHome

hope they dont think of fi......at it..

Edited September 24, 2011 by ElectricSnowStorm

[A Winter's Tale]

Just imagine a really flat bit of UARS came in at an angle and hit the sea at 200mph. You would have the world record of skipping stones.

[Aaron]

[Backtrack]

Just imagine a really flat bit of UARS came in at an angle and hit the sea at 200mph. You would have the world record of skipping stones.

It's coming in at 18,000mph. So deffo a record. Lol

[ZONE 51]

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 12:30:46 AM UTC+0100

As of 7 p.m. EDT on Sept. 23, 2011, the orbit of UARS was 90 miles by 95 miles (145 km by 150 km). Re-entry is expected between 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, and 3 a.m., Sept. 24, Eastern Daylight Time (3 a.m. to 7 a.m. GMT). During that time period, the satellite will be passing over Canada, Africa and Australia, as well as vast areas of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. The risk to public safety is very remote.

http://www.nasa.gov/rss/uars_update.xml

[Backtrack]

Guy on the news said it will be over us in one hour. And is expected to fall within 1-6 hours.

[ZONE 51]

Guy on the news said it will be over us in one hour. And is expected to fall within 1-6 hours.

[Aaron]

http://www.2012infocenter.com/

Live streaming.. shows that it's going to pass over some very densely populated areas.. looks like it might pass right over Birmingham and London