NASA - UARS

Originally posted by JohnPhoenix
All this tells me is they cannot be That precise but it doesn't tell me why they cannot find a smaller window than the huge area ( most of the earth) that they have stated. Hogwash, I'm not buying that answer.

The three day window (the expected reentry day plus or minus one), with 16 orbits per day, gives a total of 48 different orbits on which it might reenter.
With each orbit being shifted westward on each pass, that ends up being a lot of ground covered.
The total ground covered in that time ends up looking a lot like this mess here...



...but worse, since thats only 14 orbits pictured.

And also worse since as it reenters, parts wont stay on a direct line, but divert a bit left and right.
So at this stage, yes it is "most of the earth" between latitudes of 56.9 degrees north and south.

reply to post by Phage


- Well, my taxes payed for it.
- Ebay on my mind.
- Finders keepers.

I wonder what if that thing destroys my home, will they pay for repairs or will they tell me to talk with the insurance company?