NASA UARS Satellite Is Not Reentering Earth's Atmosphere on Time

It is still too early to predict the time and location of re-entry with any certainty, but predictions will become more refined in the next 12 to 18 hours.

The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite. Courtesy: rt.com

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, expected to reenter earth's atmosphere in the next few hours, is out of fuel and also out of control according to experts with the national space agency.

The spacecraft is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere late today or early tomorrow, after six years of productive scientific life. Although the spacecraft will break into pieces during re-entry, not all of it will burn up in the atmosphere. Scientists say the craft is not descending toward re-entry as rapidly as expected.

"The risk to public safety or property is extremely small, and safety is NASA's top priority," NASA stated in a press release issued today, hoping to quiet concerns that the satellite could injure people.

"Since the beginning of the Space Age in the late-1950s, there have been no confirmed reports of an injury resulting from re-entering space objects. Nor is there a record of significant property damage resulting from a satellite re-entry."

As of 10:30 a.m. EDT on Sept. 23, 2011, the orbit of UARS was 100 miles by 105 miles (160 km by 170 km). Re-entry is expected late Friday, Sept. 23, or early Saturday, Sept. 24, Eastern Daylight Time. Solar activity is no longer the major factor in the satellite’s rate of descent.

The satellite’s orientation or configuration apparently has changed, and that is now slowing its descent. There is a low probability any debris that survives re-entry will land in the United States, but NASA says the possibility cannot be discounted because of this changing rate of descent.

It is still too early to predict the time and location of re-entry with any certainty, but predictions will become more refined in the next 12 to 18 hours.

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