Los Angeles Is Potential Target For Falling Satellite

As early as next Sunday, NASA should begin issuing statements on the whereabouts of a large disintegrating satellite that will plummet to earth. Not only is Los Angeles a potential target, but every major city and populated area between latitudes 57 north and 57 south will be vulnerable for a short time according to NASA.
While most of the falling debris will likely disintegrate or fall into one or more of the world's oceans, the size of the failed satellite there is such that is does pose a credible risk to vulnerable land masses and populated areas.
put into orbit in 1991 to assist in climate research will be a 6.5 ton projectile traveling at 18,000 mph. when it enters the earth's atmosphere as early as next Sunday. There will about two hours warning for areas which NASA will be able to determine lie in the path of falling debris. The satellite is about the size of a bus, it is highly likely that at least some fragments, as many as 26 will survive the descent through earth's atmosphere.NASA calculates that the chance of a person being hit are about one in 3,200. The only instance of a person being hit by falling space debris was in 1997 when a woman in Tulsa, Oklahoma was hit by a piece of a Delta II rocket descending at relatively slow speed. She was unhurt.