Watch out for the heads! Satellite will fall to Earth, but nobody knows where

According to a report published by The New York Times, a satellite of European origin, launched in orbit in 2009 to perform a detailed mapping of the earth's gravitational field, is expected to fall somewhere in our planet in the coming days. The impact is expected to occur between Sunday and Monday morning. However, nobody knows what the exact location will be.

According to the publication, the equipment weighs a ton and upon entering the atmosphere will be destroyed. However, it is estimated that between 25 and 45 fragments reach the surface, and the largest can weigh up to 90 kilograms. And don't think it's good to be alert just this once: this year alone, about 100 tons of space debris should fall from the sky, also with uncertain impact points!

Fall fall...

The satellite ran out of fuel last month and has since been dropping about 4 kilometers a day. Until last Wednesday, the equipment was over 180 kilometers in altitude and circled around the planet every 88 minutes, with an orbit whose trajectory passes almost directly over the poles. This means that as the earth spins, the satellite passes over almost every corner of the planet.

While there are no reported cases of people who have been injured by such fragments - and the risk that those who will fall from the sky in the coming days will be very small - the possibility that this could not be ruled out. Engineers following the satellite's fall can determine an approximate impact area as the equipment approaches the surface, and we can only hope it is not over our heads.