Satellite Crashes In South-East Asia

Satellite Crashes In South-East Asia
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NASA has confirmed the Roentgen Satellite (ROSAT) has fallen back to earth over South East Asia.

Up to 30 fragments weighing a total of 1.87 tons (1.7 metric tons) could have crashed at 280 mph (450 kph), the German Aerospace Center said.

The Telegraph reports that the satellite fell to earth either east of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean, in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Burma, in inland Burma or inland China.

No reports of a fiery inferno or debris have been received, hinting that the satellite must have fallen in the sea, or into a remote unpopulated area.

Discovery news reports that the odds of ROSAT hitting someone were much higher than that of the NASA Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) which fell to earth last month. The high temperature mirror, 81 cm wide and weighing 400 kg, was expected to survive re-entry, whereas UARS broke apart on re-entry.

ROSAT had used its remaining fuel years ago, and was careening through the Earth's orbit on the whim of the upper atmosphere.

ROSAT was launched in 1990 for a 5 year mission, and made its final observations before being removed from service 12 February 1999.

During its lifecycle it was the first satellite to perform all-sky surveys of X-ray sources with an imaging telescope.

NASA says it has no more large satellites that will fall back to Earth uncontrolled in the next 25 years.