CHINESE SPY SATELLITE TO CRASH TUESDAY

Internet UFO Group Media Archive

From:NewsProfiles@aol.net
Title:CHINESE SPY SATELLITE TO CRASH TUESDAY
Source:Reuter
Date:March 11, 1996


By Maggie Fox

LONDON (Reuter) - A Chinese spy satellite tumbling out of

control toward Earth will probably crash in the early hours of

Tuesday, Britain's Defense Ministry said Monday.

The satellite was extremely unlikely to hit any populated

area and could burn up before it hit the ground, it said.

``The latest estimate is 0726 (GMT, 2:26 EST) tomorrow,''

said a spokesman for the ministry, which has taken over official

monitoring of the satellite from astronomers. ``But that is

strictly an estimate, plus or minus three hours.''

The spokesman said the satellite was very unlikely to hit

people or buildings.

``Chances are it will come down in the southern hemisphere

and the chances of it landing in a densely populated area

anywhere in the world and causing death and injury are extremely

remote,'' he said.

``Given the vast ratio of sea to land area, the chances are

that it will land in the sea.''

that it will land in the sea.''

Insurers reassured homeowners they would be covered if it

crashed through their roofs -- countries that launch spacecraft

promise to pay for any damage they cause.

The satellite failed 10 days after it was launched in

October 1993 as part of a Chinese military program, aviation

experts said. Retro-rockets designed to send it straight down to

China instead spun it into an uncontrollable orbit.

The satellite, which weighs more than two tons and is the

size of a small car, is being tracked by the U.S. Space Command,

the European Space Agency and Britain's Defense Research Agency

as it tumbles out of control.

Scientists estimate that the 4,500 pound oak-panelled

satellite will hit the ground at 400 miles per hour, if it does

not burn up first.

It could create a crater 30 yards wide and destroy anything

within 100 yards, scientists estimate.

``It may well burn up on re-entry,'' the Defense Ministry

spokesman said. ``It is designed to be a recoverable capsule so

it is designed to withstand re-entry. But the angle of re-entry

is important and we don't know what that will be.''

British Home Office (interior ministry) officials have

planned emergency measures in case the satellite hits Britain.

It will pass over Northern Europe every one and a half hours in

its final orbits.

The U.S. space agency NASA estimates there are 7,000

``substantial'' objects, such as satellites, in low earth

orbits. As they drag through the atmosphere they are normally

destroyed.

The Skylab space station crashed in remote western Australia

in 1979 after speculation that it would destroy a city.

In 1962, a test launch of a prototype for the Saturn V

In 1962, a test launch of a prototype for the Saturn V

crashed in Cuba. A cow died (presumably of fright) and was given

a full state funeral as a victim of imperialist aggression.