Small piece of space junk on a crash course with Earth
OCT 26, 2015
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.029317
Nature : A piece of space trash just 1–2 m in size has been detected by the Catalina Sky Survey. Currently orbiting Earth, the debris, designated WT1190F, is expected to come down just off the southern tip of Sri Lanka on 13 November. Because of its low density, scientists believe it to be manmade, perhaps a fuel tank or other piece of an early spacecraft. Rather than crash land, it will likely burn up in the atmosphere and be visible as a bright fireball. Rarely can researchers predict such an impact; they hope to track the junk and learn more about its origin.
© 2015 American Institute of Physics
