And NASA has more here on the re-entry of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, or UARS, which is expected to return to Earth's atmosphere late Sept. 23 or early Sept. 24 EDT. That's six years after the end what was a productive scientific life.
"Although the spacecraft will break into pieces during re-entry, not all of it will burn up in the atmosphere." That means it's going to fall to land or sea, and there is some risk, though it's extremely extremely small, that it will fall on you and kill you dead.
Real serious numbers now. Scientists have calculated that there is a 1 in 3,200 chance a piece will hit someone. And there is a 1 in 20 trillion chance that it will hits *you.*
Related NYT item here. My advice? Stay indoors and look at Boing Boing.
UPDATE: Orbital debris found!
[Shoop by Xeni.]
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You may have a better chance of winning the lottery or running into Captain Kirk at the mall, but when it comes to being impaled with pieces of the now defunct Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite as it plummets towards Earth, it's better to be safe than sorry. The SatelliteAR Android app has added a temporary feature that gives stargazers the ability to monitor this space junk's trajectory to avoid impact when it re-enters the atmosphere sometime later today. NASA has assured us that the bus-sized satellite won't land anywhere in North America, but if it touches down at night, people on the ground could witness a pretty sweet light show wherever it does land. Android users determined to avoid a Wicked Witch of the East-like fate can download the app at the source link below and check out the video demo after the break.