Falling satellite may offer light show

A falling satellite could provide a spectacular light show September 23-24, according to NASA.

The defunct Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) is expected to hit earth’s atmosphere around September 24, give or take a day, according to NASA’s latest projections.

The 6 ½ tone spacecraft has been orbiting the Earth for 20 year, with at least 26 large pieces expected to survive the heat of atmospheric re-entry.

The satellite should re-enter over a 500 mile track, with the zone for debris re-entry stretching from the Canadian latitudes to those of southern South America.
If the satellite falls while flying over a populated segment of Earth, skywatchers should have a scintillating light show if the weather is clear, according to Nick Johnson, chief scientist of NASA’s Orbital Debris Program at the Johnson Space Center.

NASA launched the $750 million spacecraft in 1991 to study the ozone layer in order to better understand planetary climate changes. Designed for a three year mission, UARS lasted 14 years until newer satellites made it obsolete and it was decommissioned in December 2005.

If pieces of the satellite fall in populated areas, NASA and U.S. military officials warn the public not to touch the remains, but notify local law enforcement. All debris from the UARS remains the property of the U.S. government.