China’s space lab to re-enter Earth today
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TIANGONG-1, China’s first space lab, is scheduled to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere today.
China Manned Space Engineering Office said Tiangong-1 orbited at an average altitude of 167.6 kilometers yesterday.
The space lab will mostly be burnt up in the atmosphere and is highly unlikely to cause any damage on the ground, according to CMSEO.
With a weight of about 8 tons, Tiangong-1 is much smaller the 80-ton Skylab and 140-ton Mir, and is unlikely to affect aviation activities or cause damage on the ground, a recent article published by CMSEO said.
The re-entry process is usually divided into three phases. During the first, the atmospheric drag will rip solar arrays, antennas, and other external parts off a spacecraft at an altitude of about 100km.
As it continues to fall, the main structure of the spacecraft will be burnt or explode from increasing heat and friction. It normally disintegrates at an altitude of about 80km.
The fragments will keep burning and most of them will be dissipated in the air. Only a small amount of debris will reach the ground, and will float down at a very slow speed due to their small mass.
Tiangong-1 was launched on September 29, 2011, and ended service in March 2016 after completing its mission.
It has docked with Shenzhou-8, Shenzhou-9 and Shenzhou-10 spacecraft and undertaken a series of tasks, making key contributions to China’s manned space cause.
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