Largest object ever jettisoned from ISS to make uncontrolled re-entry this week

Largest object ever jettisoned from ISS to make uncontrolled re-entry this week

The International Space Station’s (ISS) largest-ever discarded object, a hefty equipment pallet weighing 2.9 tons, is anticipated to make an uncontrolled descent back to Earth between March 8 and 9, 2024. Launched into space for a critical ISS power system upgrade, this pallet, loaded with nine old station batteries, will not fully disintegrate upon reentry, with predictions indicating about half a ton of debris could survive the descent and impact the planet’s surface.

CZ-3B rocket body re-entry recorded over Paraguay

CZ-3B rocket body re-entry recorded over Paraguay

The body of Chinese Long March 3B rocket, also known as CZ-3B, launched December 10, 2017, re-entered Earth's atmosphere around 05:52 UTC on March 10 over Paraguay, creating a spectacular show. The American Meteor Society (AMS) received just one witness report…

China’s Heavenly Palace to fall to Earth late 2017

China’s Heavenly Palace to fall to Earth late 2017

After about six years in space, China's first prototype space station — Tiangong-1 — is expected to fall into the Earth's atmosphere in the latter half of 2017, Chinese officials said at a press conference last week. Tiangong-1 (Chinese for "Heavenly…

Fiery re-entry of China’s Chang Zheng 7 rocket over the Western US

Fiery re-entry of China’s Chang Zheng 7 rocket over the Western US

A slow moving bright streak of light burst across the night sky over California, Utah and Nevada around 21:36 PTD on Wednesday, July 27 (04:36 UTC on July 28). Images and videos of the event immediately sent social media into a frenzy. The event lasted for over 30…

A ‘big flame in the sky’ over South Island, New Zealand

A ‘big flame in the sky’ over South Island, New Zealand

A 'big flame in the sky' was observed over New Zealand's South Island at 06:30 UTC (18:30 local time) on July 19, 2016. The object was initially considered a 'fist-sized" meteor, but, after further analyses, some experts now believe it was a…

Space debris expected to provide spectacular show on November 13

Space debris expected to provide spectacular show on November 13

An unusual object discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey in 2013 is expected to enter the Earth's atmosphere on November 13, 2015. The object, suspected to be of man-made origin, most likely a rocket body, will put on a spectacular show while passing through the…

Recording doomed ATV’s disintegration from inside

Recording doomed ATV’s disintegration from inside

In a special experiment scheduled for February 27th, ESA and NASA are planning to record, from inside, reentry and disintegration of Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATM).Every mission of ESA’s ATV ferry ends in the same way – filled with Space Station rubbish