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Wednesday 19 October 2011

German satellite hurtling towards Earth

Rosat satellite
The German Aerospace Centre says one of its retired satellites is hurtling toward the atmosphere and that fragments could hit Earth later this week.
Spokesman Andreas Schuetz said most of the Rosat satellite, which is about the size of a minivan, will burn up during re-entry.
He added, however, that up to 30 fragments weighing nearly two tonnes could reach the Earth's surface between Friday and Monday.
It's not known exactly where the fragments might fall, beyond a broad estimate of somewhere between 53 degrees north and 53 degrees south – an area that covers much of the Earth outside the polar regions.
The research satellite was launched in 1990 and retired in 1999.

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