China's space lab is expected to crash into Earth in 2017

Tiangong-1 being launched to space in 2011

Tiangong-1 which translate to "Heavenly Palace" is the first space laboratory built by china and it's expected to fall ( em, crash) to earth and burn up in the planet's atmosphere sometime in late 2017. While it's common for decommissioned Satellite to either burn up in a specific ocean region or to a orbital Junk yard, this space station will take a different route. China announced that "they have lost control of the station which is an 8-ton lab because of technical and mechanical failure" during a news conference in September 4.

Wu Ping

  Wu Ping, a director at china's space Engineering office said " Based on our calculation and analysis, most parts of the lab will burn up during falling",  that is quite expected due to the speed at which it will fall and the pressure acting on it. Wu Ping also assured us that china would release a forecast of its falling and announce it internationally. Jonathan McDoweell, a renowned Harvard Astrophysicist said it would be impossible to predict where the debris from the space station will land. His words " you can't steer these things. Even a couple of days before it re-enters, we probably won't know better than six or seven hours plus or minus, when it's going to come down. Not knowing when it will come down translates as not knowing where it's going to come down". He also hinted that a change in atmospheric condition could shift the landing site " from one continent to the next". (Who said things couldn't go worse???).

Jonathan McDowell

While it is expected for the space station to burn out when falling, the denser part of the space crafts(the engines) will survive the heat and may cause concern should the falling debris land on a populated area. McDowell remarked that " there will be lumps of about 100kg or so, still enough to give you a nasty wallop if it hits you. Yes there is a chance it will do damage, it might take out someone's car, there will be a rain of few pieces of metal, it might go through someone's roof like if a flap fell off a plane, but it is not widespread damage". He also tweeted that areas that might be affected are North America, Parts of Europe, Asia, south America, Africa and Oceania.

  Looking at the bright side, More than 70% of our planet is covered with water and will probably not hit a populated area. Seersupdate will keep you updated.

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