UARS Journey Comes To An End 23SEP2011

NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, or UARS, Likely No More

Update #15Sat, 24 Sep 2011 01:46:42 AM MDT
NASA’s decommissioned Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite fell back to Earth between 11:23 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 23 and 1:09 a.m. EDT Sept. 24. The Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California said the satellite penetrated the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean. The precise re-entry time and location are not yet known with certainty.

From SPACEWEATHER.COM

LAST SIGHTINGS OF UARS? Observers in central Texas saw UARS streaking overhead (but not disintegrating) at 8:18 PM CDT on Sept. 23rd. It was spotted again over western Colorado at ~9:46 pm CDT ("Still intact, but tumbling," says observer Scott Sheriff) and again over Minnesota at 9:55 pm CDT. Since then, however, no observers have reported seeing the doomed satellite. NASA's estimated window for re-entry (between 11:45 p.m. Sept. 23 and 12:45 a.m. Sept. 24 EDT) has passed, so UARS might be no more. 

UARS (Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite) Orbital Decay Update 22SEP2011...Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia...CAMERAS READY !!!

click image to enlarge-accuracy not guaranteed by ELPALLSKY

UARS De Orbiting Satellite Update...22SEP2011

UPDATE FROM SPACEWEATHER.COM

RE-ENTRY UPDATE: NASA has issued an update on the condition of the decaying UARS (Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite): "As of 1:30 p.m. EDT Sept. 21, 2011, the orbit of UARS was 120 mi by 130 mi (190 km by 205 km). Re-entry is expected sometime during the afternoon of Sept. 23, Eastern Daylight Time. The satellite will not be passing over North America during that time period. It is still too early to predict the time and location of re-entry with any more certainty, but predictions will become more refined in the next 24 to 48 hours." Check the Simple Satellite Tracker for last-chance sighting opportunities.

UARS Flyover Captured By ELPALLSKY 19SEP2011 06:15 MDT

WHILE THE WORLD AWAITS IT'S FIERY DEMISE, THE U-A-R-S SPACE VEHICLE MAKES A SERIES OF SPECTACULAR FLYOVERS ANNOUNCING IT'S SLOW BUT ULTIMATE DE-ORBIT

UARS Flyover Captured By ELPALLSKY-Sandia Sentinel Fireball Network Camera-El Paso, TX 19SEP2011 12:15:00 UTC (06:15:00 MDT)

click image to enlarge