CORRECTION: The last sentence should read:”Since NASA thinks the satellite will come down AFTER this, the predictions may be moot.”
If I advance the orbital path further, the UARS will make 2 more passes over the US. The next orbit over the US will enter over North Dakota at about 5:20am Eastern and exit over Georgia.
The final expected orbit that will enter the US will come in over Washington state...technically passing right over my house..at about 3:55am Pacific. It will pass over most of the Rocky Mountain states and exit the US going right down the Texas-Mexico border out over the Gulf.
NOW, HERE’S THE FUN PART....
NASA says it’ll come down tomorrow afternoon...exactly when they’re not yet sure. However, I advanced the orbital track to tomorrow afternoon and found...
From 3:40pm to 4:00 Eastern, the orbital track will run from southern Chile, over most of Argentina, and exit through Brazil, basically right up the eastern coast of South America. AND THEN...
From 4:15-4:25 Eastern, the UARS will enter over Portugal...and run right over the population centers of Western Europe. Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Belarus, the Ukraine, and Russia.
Yikes.
If the orbit continues, it’ll go over much of Russia, down through Mongolia into China, right down the length of the Phillipines, and finally over eastern Australia.
Betcha some folks in Europe are a little nervous now, eh?