Saturday, November 1, 2008

IT'S RAINING SPACE TRASH


But don't worry, it only weighs 40 pounds!


Tariq Malik, Space.com
Scientists expect a 1,400-pound tank of toxic ammonia coolant that was thrown from the International Space Station a year ago to plunge through the Earth's atmosphere Sunday. One NASA expert says it's unlikely that the debris will hit anyone.


NASA expects up to 15 pieces of the tank to survive the searing hot temperatures of re-entry, ranging in size from about 1.4 ounces to nearly 40 pounds.
If they reach all the way to land, the largest pieces could slam into the Earth's surface at about 100 mph (62 kph). But a splashdown at sea is also possible, as the planet is two-thirds ocean.

Okay, I feel better knowing how unlikely it is that the debris will hit me... And even in the unlikely chance that the debris should hit the 1/3 part of the planet that isn't covered by ocean, the 1,400 tank should break up upon re-entry into the earths atmosphere and experts expect only about 15 pieces, the largest being no bigger than 40 pounds, to survive the searing heat.

Being hit on the head by a 40 pound piece of debris traveling 100 mph is definitely better than being hit on the head by a 1,400 pound piece of debris.

Yeah, I feel so much better now.

6 comments:

garnett109 said...

yikes, heads up!

Melanie said...

Will be staying inside this weekend..lol


Melanie

Unknown said...

the sky is falling, the sky is falling...

Traci said...

Gracious! I was sitting under oak trees today. The sky was definitely falling!

Rjet33 said...

U slay me, Jody. :-)

Blessings!~

Susan

I Have Tea said...

don't know if even hiding under the bed will help. you betcha there will be a lot of eyes turned skyward today!