Heads up: Space junk coming home to die

by Patrick Metzger
Jan 27th 2008 @ 4:30PM

Filed under: News, Polit-eco

Say what you like about landfills, but at least when you throw stuff into them it doesn't come flying out years later, on fire and travelling at 10,000 miles an hour. Space junk, alas, is a different story . US government sources report that a spy satellite has lost power and is expected to crash into the earth as early as next month, no doubt to the considerable surprise of anyone who happens to be standing near the landing site.

Thus far the government is being tightlipped about details, but experts estimate that the satellite weighs around 9 tons. It's also not clear if the satellite contains hazardous materials. However, some spy satellites are nuclear powered, while even solar-powered versions may contain toxins that you wouldn't want in your drinking water.

While it's most likely that the device will either burn up in the atmosphere or hit water, at this point no one is making any predictions. However, the assurances of a government spokesman that they " are looking at potential options to mitigate any possible damage this satellite may cause" rings a little hollow in light of the fact that authorities have absolutely zero ability to control its course.