WASHINGTON: The out-of-control Russian spacecraft that is falling to earth after a failed cargo delivery to the International Space Station will burn up in the atmosphere on Friday afternoon, tracking data predicts.
Satellite- and space-junk-tracking website SatFlare’s latest prediction (made at 7am Thursday, Sydney time) has the unmanned Progress M-27M re-entering the atmosphere at around 4pm Friday, Sydney time. It was originally expected to re-enter on Saturday but is descending much faster than anticipated.
The craft is carrying 2769 kilograms of cargo which includes 880 kilograms of fuel as well as spare parts, experiment hardware, food, water, oxygen and clothing. It was to deliver its supplies to the six people on the International Space Station on April 30, however it began to spin out of control after a communications failure.
Fortunately the astronauts have enough supplies to see them through until the next scheduled delivery on June 19.
Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, said in a statement that “only a few small pieces of structural elements could reach the planet’s surface” after the craft and its cargo is burned up upon re-entry.
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