Bus-size satellite heading for Earth

North America correspondent Lisa Millar
Posted September 17, 2011 08:42:00

United States

A 20-year-old satellite the size of a bus has fallen out of orbit and is expected to crash somewhere on Earth next week.

NASA says the giant satellite is plunging to earth more quickly than anticipated and will crash during a three-day window around September 24.

The satellite was shut down in 2005 after completing its mission and was expected to fall to earth some time this year, but experts have now narrowed it down.

Hurtling at eight kilometres per second, it could land anywhere between 57 degrees north and 57 degrees south of the equator - most of the populated world, including Australia.

NASA says the risk to life from the satellite is just 1 in 3,200 as most of the satellite will break or burn up before reaching Earth.

Scientists have identified 26 separate pieces that could survive the fall through the Earth's atmosphere and debris could rain across an area 400 to 500 kilometres wide.

This is only about 1/8 the size of the ISS.

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