posted 12-14-2005 05:31 PM            

It's last good battery shorted out in August and planning to end the mission went as planned, concluding today with the shutting down of the satellite.

posted 12-23-2007 09:43 PM               

On Nov. 10, something apparently hit the school bus-sized orbiter. It could have been one of the many pieces in a growing field of "space junk." It could have been a meteoroid. Space debris often leaves pings and dents in satellites and even the space shuttle, and aging satellites decay over time. But a collision that actually creates new pieces of debris is more rare.

"When I heard this, I was shocked," said Jim Russell, a Hampton University professor who was the project lead for HALOE. "This is very unexpected. That's not normal decay."

Nicholas L. Johnson, chief scientist for NASA's Orbital Debris Program, said it remains unclear what happened to UARS. Four pieces bigger than 4 inches in diameter — roughly the size of a trackable piece of space junk — were sent into orbit, but it is unclear how large those pieces are.

A collision from a meteoroid or another piece of debris is the best hypothesis, Johnson said. The core of the spacecraft appears to still be intact...

Two of the "large" pieces that broke off UARS have apparently already burned up in the atmosphere, Johnson said. The other two pieces will likely do the same.

What remains of the craft's core will continue to orbit for some time — barring another collision.

posted 09-07-2011 03:30 PM               

NASA: 6.5-ton satellite falling back to Earth

NASA's first major satellite as part of its "Mission to Planet Earth" program is now, ironically, on a much more literal mission back to the planet.

The 6.5-ton Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) will return to Earth in the next several weeks, according to NASA. At least some pieces of the spacecraft, which is 35 feet long and 15 feet wide, are expected to survive the fiery plunge into the atmosphere and reach the ground.

"It is too early to say exactly when UARS will re-enter and what geographic area may be affected," NASA said in a statement posted on Wednesday (Sept. 7) to its website.

posted 09-12-2011 04:08 PM               

NASA satellite debris may fall anywhere... except on eBay

"Because this is a U.S. government satellite, any object that does reach the surface of the Earth, should it be found, is still the property of the United States," he said.

"You do not have the luxury of trying to sell it on eBay."

But where it falls does make a difference. If it lands within the boundaries of the United States, then "U.S. laws and regulations apply," Johnson said.

Should UARS drop debris outside the U.S. however, then the United Nations (UN) becomes involved...

posted 09-15-2011 09:15 AM               

As of Sept. 15, 2011, the orbit of UARS was 143 mi by 158 mi (230 km by 255 km). Re-entry is expected Sept. 24, plus or minus a day.

posted 09-16-2011 02:40 PM               

As of Sept. 16, 2011, the orbit of UARS was 140 mi by 155 mi (225 km by 250 km). Re-entry is expected Sept. 23, plus or minus a day. The re-entry of UARS is advancing because of a sharp increase in solar activity since the beginning of this week.

posted 09-16-2011 03:31 PM               

After all, they're only off by a factor of 3,600!

posted 09-16-2011 03:40 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Glint:
I would be interested to learn how NASA calculated that percentage.

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"We look at those 26 pieces and how big they are, and we've looked at the fact they can hit anywhere in the world between 57 degrees north and 57 degrees south, and we look at what the population density of the world is and most of the 7 billion people live in that region, and numerically it comes out to a chance of 1 in 3,200 that one person anywhere in the world might be struck by a piece of debris."

posted 09-19-2011 08:17 AM               

As of Sept. 18, 2011, the orbit of UARS was 133 mi by 149 mi (215 km by 240 km). Re-entry is expected Sept. 23, plus or minus a day.

posted 09-21-2011 07:58 AM               

As of Sept. 21, 2011, the orbit of UARS was 120 mi by 130 mi (195 km by 210 km). Re-entry is expected Sept. 23, United States time.

(The time reference does not mean that the satellite is expected to re-enter over the United States. It is simply a time reference.)

Although it is still too early to predict the time and location of re-entry, predictions of the time period are becoming more refined.

posted 09-21-2011 06:46 PM               

As of 1:30 p.m. EDT Sept. 21, 2011, the orbit of UARS was 120 mi by 130 mi (190 km by 205 km). Re-entry is expected sometime during the afternoon of Sept. 23, Eastern Daylight Time.

The satellite will not be passing over North America during that time period.

It is still too early to predict the time and location of re-entry with any more certainty, but predictions will become more refined in the next 24 to 48 hours.

posted 09-21-2011 06:50 PM               

NASA UARS Satellite Reentry

Aerospace engineers from Analytical Graphics, Inc. (AGI) used the company's analysis and visualization software to create this video depicting:

• UARS in its current orbit
  
• Its potential debris area
  
• Burn-up at reentry
  
• A representative statistical breakup model
  
• UARS estimated debris region

posted 09-22-2011 08:15 AM               

As of 7 a.m. EDT Sept. 22, 2011, the orbit of UARS was 115 mi by 120 mi (185 km by 195 km). Re-entry is expected sometime during the afternoon of Sept. 23, Eastern Daylight Time. The satellite will not be passing over North America during that time period.

It is still too early to predict the time and location of re-entry with any more certainty, but predictions will become more refined in the next 24 to 36 hours.

posted 09-22-2011 08:54 AM               

The satellite will not be passing over North America during that time period.

Reminds me of an old Onion News piece:

"Texas residents are relieved that the deadly Category 5 storm just missed them, destroying a horn-shaped land mass south of them instead."

posted 09-22-2011 10:11 AM            

It has been explained at length that the surviving components of UARS pose very little threat to anyone on the ground. Skylab, various rocket stages, and even Columbia demonstrated that when space vehicles fall on land, they are most unlikely to cause any personal injury.

posted 09-23-2011 10:02 AM               

As of 10:30 a.m. EDT on Sept. 23, 2011, the orbit of UARS was 100 miles by 105 miles (160 km by 170 km). Re-entry is expected late Friday, Sept. 23, or early Saturday, Sept. 24, Eastern Daylight Time.

Solar activity is no longer the major factor in the satellite's rate of descent. The satellite's orientation or configuration apparently has changed, and that is now slowing its descent.

There is a low probability any debris that survives re-entry will land in the United States, but the possibility cannot be discounted because of this changing rate of descent.

It is still too early to predict the time and location of re-entry with any certainty, but predictions will become more refined in the next 12 to 18 hours.

posted 09-23-2011 10:53 AM               

Special Notice ... Effective immediately until 1109252359 UTC. Aircraft are advised that a potential hazard may occur due to reentry of satellite UARS into the Earth's atmosphere. Further NOTAMs will be issued if specific information becomes available. In the interest of flight safety, it is critical that all pilots/flight crew members report any observed falling space debris to the appropriate atc facility and include position, altitude, time, and direction of debris observed.

posted 09-23-2011 07:21 PM               

As of 7 p.m. EDT on Sept. 23, 2011, the orbit of UARS was 90 miles by 95 miles (145 km by 150 km). Re-entry is expected between 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, and 3 a.m., Sept. 24, Eastern Daylight Time (3 a.m. to 7 a.m. GMT).

During that time period, the satellite will be passing over Canada, Africa and Australia, as well as vast areas of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.

The risk to public safety is very remote.

posted 09-23-2011 09:59 PM               

As of 10:30 p.m. EDT on Sept. 23, 2011, the orbit of UARS was 85 miles by 90 miles (135 km by 140 km). Re-entry is expected between 11:45 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, and 12:45 a.m., Sept. 24, Eastern Daylight Time (3:45 a.m. to 4:45 a.m. GMT).

During that time period, the satellite will be passing over Canada and Africa, as well as vast areas of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.

The risk to public safety is very remote.

posted 09-23-2011 11:59 PM               

NASA is working to confirm the re-entry location and time and will provide an update shortly.

posted 09-24-2011 12:54 AM               

NASA: "We're still waiting for UARS Done! confirmation. If debris fell on land (and that's still a BIG if), Canada is most likely area."

posted 09-24-2011 02:24 AM               

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 satellite was passing eastward over Canada and Africa as well as vast portions of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans during that period. The precise re-entry time and location are not yet known with certainty.

posted 09-24-2011 02:55 AM               

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.

posted 09-24-2011 03:22 AM               

NASA's 6-ton UARS satellite falls to Earth

A school bus size NASA satellite plummeted back to Earth overnight, being torn apart as it reentered the atmosphere and fell over the Pacific Ocean, the space agency said.

Exactly when and where the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) fell, as well as the fate of any debris that may have made it all the way to the ground, was not yet known.

posted 09-24-2011 10:46 AM               

Predicted paths over my area during the night, around 19:50-55, 21:21-26, and 03:26-31 EDT were clouded or fogged out. Apparently it was already down several hours before that last one. All passes were quite low, the non-illuminated satellite rising no more than 10 degrees above the horizon at its highest. But it would have been a spectacular sight worth the planning effort.

posted 09-24-2011 10:55 AM               

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 entered the atmosphere over the North Pacific Ocean, off the west coast of the United States.

The precise re-entry time and location of any debris impacts are still being determined. NASA is not aware of any reports of injury or property damage.

NASA will conduct a media telecon at 2 p.m. EDT to discuss the re-entry. The telecon will be streamed live.

posted 09-24-2011 01:30 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Glint:
Space.com has an amateur video of what is purported to be UARS' reentry as viewed from Washington state.

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posted 09-24-2011 03:20 PM               

UARS was uncontrolled. Space weather, the configuration of the spacecraft and other factors were changing the satellite's rate of return throughout its descent.

posted 09-24-2011 04:27 PM               

According to Nick Johnson, chief scientist of NASA's orbital debris program at Johnson Space Center in Houston, that they haven't been able to pinpoint where UARS's reentered "is not uncommon at all." He said that many uncontrolled reentries have gone without ever being pinpointed to where and when they fell.

"This is not an unusual event. We do not always know precisely where these reentries occur. This is not a unique situation to UARS," Johnson said.

posted 09-24-2011 05:01 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by music_space:
...a satellite such as UARS could in the future be refueled instead of having to be decommissioned when out of maneuvering propellants.

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