Story Created:
Sep 22, 2011 at 10:09 PM EDT
Story Updated:
Sep 22, 2011 at 10:09 PM EDT
Sometime Friday a satellite the size of a bus will plummet back to Earth, scientists just don't know where or when.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Sometime Friday a satellite the size of a bus will plummet back to Earth, scientists just don't know where or when.
Predicting the where and when isn't a precise science, but officials should be able to narrow it down a few hours ahead of time. The best guess is sometime in the afternoon Eastern time. The latest calculations indicate that it won't be over North America then.
Most of the 6-ton satellite is expected to disintegrate, but 26 large metal chunks -- the largest about 300 pounds -- are expected to hit and scatter somewhere on the planet. With nearly three-quarters of the world covered in water, chances are it will be a splashdown.
But just in case, NASA is warning people not to touch any satellite part they might find. While it's not chemically hazardous, it will have sharp edges.
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