Tiangong-1 may burn in sky before hitting any city

China’s first model space station Tiangong-1 is slated to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere between March 30 and April 6, and the possible places where the debris will fall has remained elusive still.

Currently, the 8.5-ton space station is descending into lower orbits, said Aerospace International, a research outfit that advises governments on space. Its calculation is that the space station may hit the northern states of the United States including cities like Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia, Des Moines, Milwaukee and Salt Lake City among others.

China has lost control of Tiangong-1 six years ago and Taingong-2 has replaced its role but the out-of-control space station is proving unpredictable for scientists though little damage is expected from its re-entry into the earth’s atmosphere.

Usually, such decommissioned satellite or space station will be forced to self-burn in a controlled process or scheduled to burn up over the ocean to avoid endangering people.

In case of Tiangong-1, China’s space agency had announced two years ago that the space lab was out of control, making it difficult to estimate its re-entry accurately. Few space stations make it to the ground. It was launched to herald China’s entry into space research.

Scientists can predict with accuracy only when the space station gets closer to Earth. The major worry is that the out-of-control Tangong-1 contains hydrazine, which is a colourless liquid that is used in rocket fuels. It could be dangerous if humans get in contact with the liquid, which may cause dermatitis or itchy skin inflammation.

Dr Hugh Lewis from the University of Southampton told the Daily Mail:“When the spacecraft crosses the equator, it’s crossing the road at this point, and it does so really fast." The spaceship will produce a fireball once it enters the Earth’s atmosphere, which will be visible in the sky.

Usually space debris gets burned the moment it enters the earth but in Tiangong-1 case, scientists are predicting that some tiny parts may hit the surface of the earth and now predicting the exact place is taking the centre-stage.