Take cover, Earthlings! One in 3,200 chance a person will be hit by 18,000mph out-of-control satellite tonight
- It ran out of fuel in 2005 and Nasa has no idea where it will crash land
- Nasa predicts it will re-enter some time after Friday afternoon (US time)
- Around 26 pieces will hit the surface, in pieces weighing up to 300 pounds
An out-of-control disused satellite weighing more than six tonnes was expected to plummet back to Earth at speeds of 18,000 mph on Friday evening, according to NASA.
The space agency, however, was unable to predict where on our planet the satellite debris is likely to hit. It was expected that the spacecraft would disintegrate into at least 26 pieces, each up to 350lb in weight, which get "sprayed" along a path hundreds of miles wide.
Whilst an impact on the North American continent has been ruled out, the satellite could hit populated areas anywhere between the 57th parallel north, e.g. Scotland, and the 57th parallel south, which passes just below South America.
Experts say there is a one in 3,200 chance of someone being hit by the debris from space, which makes it more likely than getting a hole-in-one in golf.Citizens were warned, however, not to touch any satellite debris after impact.
"Anybody who finds a piece of the satellite should stay away from it and call the police and let them deal with it," said NASA spokesperson Steve Cole.
He warned: "It could be very hot or it could be dangerous. It depends on what speed the debris is going, but it could go be going fast enough to go through a house."Friday's crash of the 35-foot long satellite was set to be the largest uncontrolled space junk crash since Skylab in 1979.
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