NASA satellite confirms the fall of

Upon entering the atmosphere passed through Canada and Africa.

NASA confirmed the fall of the UARS satellite over the Pacific Ocean.

The UARS satellite, an image file. | NASA.

The Research Satellite Upper Atmosphere (UARS) has entered Earth's atmosphere and has fallen into the Pacific Ocean, as confirmed today the U.S. space agency Nasa via Twitter, without specifying the exact time or the impact zone.

Previously the agency had spoken of a time window of between 3:23 (the 05.23 Spanish time) and 5:09 GMT (the 07.09 in Spain).

According to NASA, during entry into the atmosphere, the satellite passed over Canada, Africa and large parts of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

NASA experts believe that several of the pieces of upper atmospheric research satellite (UARS) are scattering over Canada. According to broadcast messages on Twitter unconfirmed, some remnants of the satellite would have fallen in the west, in the town of Okotoks, south of Calgary.

The fall of Research Satellite Upper Atmosphere (UARS, for its acronym in English), was scheduled between 3:45 and at 04:45 hours GMT on Saturday and Canada was the area as possible for the impact, said the space agency.

The U.S. space agency (NASA) elaborated in a statement released at 02:50 GMT on Saturday that during this time that is expected to fall, the satellite "will be passing over Canada and Africa, as well as vast areas of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. "

As it has done in recent days, NASA has re-emphasized that the risk to the safety of people is "very remote", since it is likely to impact on the water, covering more than three quarters parts of the earth's surface.

Earlier in the day the space agency had already advanced to the fall of the satellite, originally scheduled for Friday afternoon U.S. Eastern time, would be delayed.

There has never been injured

Solar activity was the factor that the reentry of the satellite forward tentatively scheduled for late September or early October. Scientists estimate that the satellite has been torn to enter the atmosphere and at least 26 major pieces of the artifact could have survived the high temperatures of reentry and fall to Earth.

The probability that any of the satellite remains of the Upper Atmosphere Research (UARS), which weighs 5675 kilograms, has reached a person is very remote according to the U.S. space agency in the figure between 3,200.

In fact, the agency says that since the beginning of the space age has not been any case in which a person has been injured by a space object re-entry during the maneuver.

In the event that the satellite debris had fallen into a populated area or near one, the U.S. military warned that citizens should not touch these parts, but the finding notified to the authorities.

Danger of space objects

With rumors that have circulated on the Internet that may contain radioactive material pieces, NASA has been forced to clarify that the recommendation not to touch the remains of the mill is because they are sharp and can cut.

In addition to safety reasons, people should not touch the remains because they are owned by the U.S. government, so that the authorities insist, "can not be sold to collectors or through the eBay site."

The shuttle 'Discovery' in 1991 carried the six-ton ​​satellite designed to measure atmospheric changes and the effects of pollution. The satellite began its way back to Earth for six years.

Source: elmundo.es