Satellite plummeting to Earth has ties to Ann Arbor
It turns out that the University of Michigan and Ann Arbor have a connection to the defunct NASA satellite that’s plummeting to Earth.
A U-M invention —the High Resolution Doppler Imager— is one of 10 instruments aboard the bus-sized spacecraft, which was launched into space on Sept. 12, 1991.
NASA's old research satellite is expected to come crashing down through the atmosphere soon - and over North America.
Associated Press
Although most of the craft will burn up when it passes through the Earth’s atmosphere, 26 pieces are expected to fall over a 500-mile stretch either Friday night or Saturday morning.
Because the majority of Earth’s surface is covered in water, NASA researchers are predicting an ocean landing.
“There is a low probability any debris that survives re-entry will land in the United States, but the possibility cannot be discounted because of this changing rate of descent,” NASA wrote in a recent post.
The U-M-built imager conducted scientific measurements of emissions and the atmospheric makeup over the course of 78,000 orbits of the Earth. But after more than 5,200 mission days, the satellite was deactivated in winter 2005.
The imager is one of the largest objects ever built by U-M’s Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences discipline. According to Brad Cook, who worked on HRDI during the mid-1980s, the Ann Arbor-based company KMS Aerospace worked jointly with U-M to build the instrument.
Check out U-M's facebook page about the satellite's reentry here.
Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.
Comments
andralisa
Sat, Sep 24, 2011 : 6:52 p.m.
Has ties to Ann Arbor? Oh no get your scissors - FAST!
Paul Goodman
Sat, Sep 24, 2011 : 2:20 p.m.
Relax. NASA says that it came down in the Pacific overnight.
John A2
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 9:34 p.m.
No show it's over S America and travels North East from there. It's expected to scatter over the Atlantic maybe over England even. So sorry but no show here.
msddjohston
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 9:28 p.m.
Hello, Please know that there are many ways to protect our country. Homeland Security is on top of this one. Thank you, Dawn
jns131
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 11:34 p.m.
Sorry, but our defense system is so broke they may have to borrow a Russian scud just to keep it from becoming a defense issue. Then again they may even charge us for it. Interesting.
Tom Teague
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 9:59 p.m.
Ummmm . . . . tanka?
msddjohston
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 9:23 p.m.
Hello, Thanks for the warning. Please blow the debris up before it lands (if you can). THANK YOU! Your friend, Dawn
Tom Teague
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 9:58 p.m.
Thanks for the haiku.
Tom Teague
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 9:55 p.m.
Thanks for the haiku!
grye
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 8:54 p.m.
Look out Ma, I'm comin' home!
Craig Lounsbury
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 8:51 p.m.
If it hits my house I'm going to CALL-SAM. In fact I might call him anyway...i haven't been able to sleep or eat since I heard the news.
julieswhimsies
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 8:31 p.m.
I LOVE this headline!!! Thank you, A2.com. You made my day!
Tom Teague
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 8:23 p.m.
That's good news for all we localvores: The city can now be hit by locally created space junk and not space junk generated in some other city or state.
Amber Coleman
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 8:22 p.m.
Great no NASA is both an insane waste of money and a public safety hazard.
Roy Munson
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 8:04 p.m.
Someone stop by a scrap yard and tell the dirtbags who steal manhole covers and catalytic converters that there is a big piece of scrap metal on the way. It will be cleaned up in no time.
jns131
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 11:32 p.m.
Hate to say it, but if it lands in our yard? We won't have time to bag it because it will be gone in no time. No matter what you put in the trash? They come like magnets. Anyone got a big net?
Elaine F. Owsley
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 7:50 p.m.
Let's hope it's not headed home.
Ignatz
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 7:46 p.m.
Maybe a big chunk will land in front of City Hall to further compliment the art.
jns131
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 11:38 p.m.
What art? Two pieces of junk make art? Interesting.
Ignatz
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 7:54 p.m.
DBH, Good point, thanks.
DBH
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 7:52 p.m.
Since it wouldn't be able to talk, at the most it might complement the art.
djm12652
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 7:27 p.m.
How green and re-cycled can ya get? The majority of the debris [also known as GARBAGE] will burn up before re-entry...too bad the design didn't allow for all of it to burn up in the atmosphere...
f4phantomII
Fri, Sep 23, 2011 : 7:27 p.m.
Drat! I saw the headline and thought maybe we'd be getting a light show and some free scrap metal