Track the Details of NASA’s 20 Year Old UARS Satellite Supposed to Hit Earth’s Surface by Tomorrow

In 1991, NASA launched its Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) from the space shuttle Discovery for the purpose of observing numerous chemical constituents of the atmosphere.

The 35’ long, 15’ dia UARS ended its productive scientific life in late 2005. It is almost six years left since the UARS de-commissioned and now the uncontrollable UARS is re-entering Earth’s atmosphere.

As per NASA’s latest update the re-entry is expected sometime during the afternoon of Sept. 23, Eastern Daylight Time.

UARS attached to the robotic arm of the space shuttle Discovery during mission STS-48 in 1991, when UARS was deployed | Photo : NASA

The UARS will be break it to pieces during the re-entry and will burn up but some debris which may fall into earth’s surface and can’t rule out the possibility of hitting populated area.

NASA made it clear that it is too early to predict the exact location and time of re-entry but promises that they will update the details with in next 24-36 hrs.

To track the updates visit official UARS Updates page.

Watch the video of the falling uncontrollable UARS captured by an amateur astronomer as the satellite passed over northern France on 15 September, HT reports quoting BBC.