The out-of-control Chinese space station that was speeding towards Earth will reportedly crash tonight or tomorrow on Sunday within give or take 16 hours.
The Aerospace Corp. is tracking the space station called Tiangong-1 and has estimated the crash time of 10:00 am EST on Sunday (07:00 pm Pakistan Time on Sunday). However, the crash can happen before or after the estimated time as well ranging from happening on late March 31 and late April 1.
The re-entry of the 9.5-ton debris will be fiery and as per Aerospace, it will crash somewhere along a strip within the US that stretches from Northern California to Pennsylvania. Since the stretch also includes Southern Michigan, the US State has activated Michigan’s Emergency Operations Center for monitoring the satellite’s re-entry, as per New York Post.
Scientists reveal locations where Chinese space station will crash in few weeks
Some experts from European Space Agency also predict that the crash can happen somewhere in Europe (Spain, France, Portugal, Greece, etc.) and maybe in India as well, reported The Sun.
However, China informed that it has been in touch with the UN although the Foreign Ministry claimed that large parts of the debris will burn up and won’t even reach the ground. “If there is a need, we will promptly be in touch with the relevant country. As to what I have heard, at present the chances of large fragments falling to the ground are not very great, the probability is extremely small,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang.
Moreover, as astronomer Jonathan McDowell explained, “Much bigger things have come down with no casualties. This thing is like a small plane crash. At an altitude of between about 38 and 43 miles, debris will begin to turn into a series of fireballs, which is when Earthlings will see a spectacular show,” he said.
The Tiangong-1, also called ‘Heavenly Palace 1’ was launched back in 2011 as China’s first space laboratory and the country lost its control over the satellite in 2016. Though reports suggest that this crash is not much something to really worry about yet, people should look out for it on the April Fools’ Day.