# A 2,000-pound satellite may crash in your backyard Sunday night



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

*A 2,000-pound satellite may crash in your backyard Sunday night*

By Jeremy A. Kaplan
Published November 09, 2013
FoxNews.com










An artist's impression of the GOCE satellite in orbit. In order to precisely measure the planet's gravity, the sleek, 16-foot long satellite is designed to orbit at a very low altitude -- just 160 miles above the Earth. (AOES Medialab)









Scientists inspect the solar panels on the GOCE satellite during final testing at ESA-ESTEC in 2008. (ESA)









A precise model of Earth's 'geoid' -- essentially a virtual surface map of where water does not flow from one point to another -- is crucial for deriving accurate measurements of ocean circulation and sea-level change. In this map from GOCE, colors represent deviations in height (100 m to +100 m) from an ideal geoid. (ESA/HPF/DLR)









The GOCE satellite's orbit is so low that it experiences drag from the outer edges of Earth's atmosphere. (ESA /AOES Medialab)









An artist's impression of the GOCE satellite in orbit. In order to precisely measure the planet's gravity, the sleek, 16-foot long satellite is designed to orbit at a very low altitude -- just 160 miles above the Earth. (ESA - AOES Medialab)
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Who do you sue if you're hit by a satellite?
A defunct satellite from the European Space Agency the size of a Chevy Suburban is set to plunge to Earth somewhere between Sunday night and Monday afternoon -- and experts say there's no way to precisely determine where it will crash.
GOCE, or Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer, ran out of gas last month and has been steadily sinking towards the Earth. As the planet rotates, the satellite whizzes over nearly every point on Earth. Experts expect it to plunge harmlessly into the oceans that cover 70 percent of the surface of the planet. But what if it doesn't? What if it takes out your old Accord?
Making Odds
Gambling houses will take bets on more or less anything. Here's the odds (as of Saturday morning) on the GOCE satellite crashing down on different continents, British gaming company Ladbrokes told FoxNews.com.
North and South America: 6/4
Russia and Asia: 2/1
Africa: 4/1
Europe: 5/1
Australia: 10/1
Bets are void if it lands in the sea, the company noted

"Basically, governments are responsible for their own spacecraft," explained Marcia S. Smith, president of the Space and Technology Policy Group in Arlington, Va. "[If] you could prove a piece of GOCE hit your Honda, you could go to your government to make a claim," she told FoxNews.com.

WHERE IS IT NOW? Track the GOCE satellite here

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013...earth-this-weekend-somewhere/?intcmp=features


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## Guest (Nov 10, 2013)

Cool story, Hah. Boy, oh boy, what I wouldn't give if only I could direct this thing and tell it where to crash. . . . .


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## FourInchFury (Jun 26, 2013)

Getting struck by a 2,000lb satellite can also save you a bunch of money on your car insurance by switching to Geico!


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## HistoryHound (Aug 30, 2008)




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## mpd61 (Aug 7, 2002)

Probably be lucky if a five(5) kilo chunk makes it through re-entry......Then again, my major is Earth & Geographical Science, so WTH do I know?


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## Kilvinsky (Jan 15, 2007)

I'm all set, I have a sturdy umbrella!


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