Out of control Chinese space lab Tiangong-1 could fall to Earth on Sunday
US state of Michigan has put police teams on standby, warns public not to touch ‘toxic’ debris from the spacecraft
One of China’s biggest spacecraft in orbit is expected to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere as early as Sunday, the China Manned Space Agency said, as emergency services in Michigan were put on standby for fear it was heading towards the US state.
Tiangong-1 is currently hurtling towards Earth, and the agency on Saturday said it was at an altitude of about 179km, and estimated to land on Monday – though it could happen a day before or after.
The European Space Agency forecast the space lab’s re-entry for around 7.25am on Monday, Hong Kong time – later than previously expected. It said the density of the upper atmosphere, through which Tiangong-1 is moving, had not increased as predicted, which would have dragged the spacecraft down sooner.
California-based non-profit Aerospace Corporation meanwhile estimated it would land around 12.15am on Monday, with a variation of nine hours either way.
While most of the 8.5 tonne structure is likely to burn up as it re-enters the atmosphere, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder said on Friday that “there is concern that debris could make landfall”.
Based on its current trajectory, scientists have said the space station could land anywhere from Australia to the United States, with the southern part of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula included in the strip of the US – from northern California to Pennsylvania – where it might crash down.