Old NASA Satellite Falling From Sky This Weekend, Low Threat

This weekend, an old NASA satellite is expected to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and break apart. The satellite was launched in 1991 and has been inactive since 2005. According to the U.S. Space Command, there is a low risk of any debris from the satellite reaching the ground or causing any damage. The satellite, known as the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), weighs about 6 tons and is 35 feet long with a 15-foot wingspan. It orbits at an altitude of about 250 miles above Earth’s surface and completes one orbit every 90 minutes. As it enters Earth’s atmosphere this weekend, it will break apart into pieces due to friction from air molecules in the upper atmosphere. The exact time of re-entry is unknown but experts predict that it will happen sometime between Saturday evening and Sunday morning (local time). NASA officials have said that they are monitoring the situation closely but do not expect any danger from falling debris. They estimate that only about 10 percent of the satellite will survive re-entry and most of those pieces will likely fall into an ocean or remote area where they won’t cause any harm. However, they are warning people to be aware of their surroundings in case any debris does make its way onto land or near populated areas. The UARS was launched in 1991 as part of a mission to study ozone levels in Earth’s upper atmosphere as well as other atmospheric processes such as wind patterns and cloud formation. After 14 years of operation, it was decommissioned in 2005 when its fuel ran out and its orbit began decaying due to atmospheric drag forces pulling it closer to Earth’s surface each day until its eventual re-entry this weekend. NASA has dealt with similar situations before with other satellites such as the Skylab space station which fell back down to Earth in 1979 after nine years orbiting our planet without incident despite initial fears that parts might hit populated areas on land or sea. Similarly, experts believe that this event should pose no threat whatsoever given how small a portion of UARS is expected to survive re-entry into our atmosphere this weekend before burning up completely upon impact with Earth's surface shortly thereafter if all goes according to plan..