A dead NASA satellite, called the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), is falling uncontrolled toward Earth and is expected to crash to the ground today (Sept. 23) or Saturday. Agency officials are unable to pinpoint the exact time and location of the fall, but have said there is little risk of debris landing in populated areas. SPACE.com is providing full coverage of the UARS re-entry, including a look at the issues surrounding orbital debris and space situational awareness.
Editor's note: If you snap a photo or observe the re-entry of NASA's UARS satellite and want to share it with SPACE.com for a story or gallery, contact managing editor Tariq Malik at: tmalik@space.com.
"NASA’s decommissioned Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite fell back to Earth between 11:23 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 23 and 1:09 a.m. EDT Sept. 24. The Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California said the satellite penetrated the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean. The precise re-entry time and location are not yet known with certainty."
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