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NASA’s Satellite Crashes In the Pacific Ocean (Updated)
The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite
that has been befuddling NASA scientists with its unpredictable reentry
path has finally fallen back to Earth. We... just don't know where yet
exactly. But you're safe to look up now.
According to NASA, the satellite penetrated the atmosphere over the
Pacific Ocean between 11:23 p.m. and 1:09 a.m. last night, making it
likely that it's floating out in open water somewhere. As expected, most
of the 20-year-old, 12,500 pound satellite probably burned up upon
reentry. It's a wonderful the send off, too. The UARS was launched in
September 1991 as part of a mission with the just-decommissioned Space Shuttle Discovery. It measured ozone and chemical levels in our atmosphere until 2005, when the Bush administration pulled the plug on it.
And now it's home. It must have been quite the light show. [NASA via Washington Post]
Update:The Christian Science Monitor
reports that debris fell over Okotoks, Canada late last night. No one
was hurt. Also, people from Maui all the way out to Florida report
having seen the metal debris burn up in the night sky.
