A defunct spacecraft, called the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, is projected to crash to the earth’s surface on Friday (plus or minus a day). This satellite, weighing six tons, is the size of a city bus and projected to fall in 26 different pieces.
The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (also called UARS) was launched by the space shuttle Discovery in 1991, and since its release, it has been gradually moving closer to the earth’s surface each year.
According to Air Force Major Michael Duncun of the U.S. Strategic Command, trying to predict the landing spot of the satellite isn’t possible. “We simply will not know where it’s going to come down until it comes down,” he says in an ABC article.
But despite this vote of ambiguity, FEMA (The Federal Emergency Management Agency) is preparing for a fast response in case this large piece of machinery falls on American soil. And the chance of you personally getting hit by the falling satellite is roughly 1-in-3,200, so take a deep breath and rest easy tonight.
However, if you do encounter a piece of the debris, which is predicted to leave a 500 mile footprint, NASA recommends, “Do not touch it. Contact a local law enforcement official for assistance.”
In addition, officials note that the falling debris may look like falling stars, even in the daylight. Get ready for a show.