Thursday, November 7- A European space satellite is going to fall on Earth in few days. It will fall at any place The scientists couldn’t predict the location where it will fall.
The European Space Agency(ESA)’s Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer “GOCE” has been orbiting Earth since March 2009 at the lowest altitude of any research satellite.
This Satellite GOCE runs out of fuel and begins its descent towards Earth from a height of about 224 km.
While most of GOCE will disintegrate in the atmosphere, several parts might reach Earth’s surface.
The European Space Agency does not know exactly when GOCE will crash to Earth and they have no idea exactly where it will land. But the general consensus is that GOCE will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere sometime between Friday and Monday.
Though the Satellite falling location is not yet predicted, The ESA says the affected area will be narrowed down closer to the time of reentry.
And, ESA says, “Taking into account that two thirds of Earth are covered by oceans and vast areas are thinly populated, the danger to life or property is very low.”
In 2008, the United Nations adopted guidelines to reduce the dangers caused by space debris by including additional thrusters for a safer ending.
In July 1979, reentry of SkyLab which is NASA’s first space station had created lot of panic among entire world. Finally it showered its debris at Australia.
The San Francisco Examiner offered a $10,000 prize for the first piece of Skylab delivered to its offices.
