Fireball Seen Over The UK & Ireland Is CONFIRMED... NASA Satellite UARS ( Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite) Has Crashed To Earth

The US space agency (Nasa) says that its out-of-control climate satellite is expected to crash to Earth sometime on Friday evening (GMT).

There is still much uncertainty over when and where the satellite will re-enter the atmosphere.

Experts say they will get a more precise idea in the last 12 hours before the satellite is due to return.

The US space agency says the risk to life from the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) is 1 in 3,200.

Satellite and space expert Dr Stuart Eves stressed the large uncertainties involved in tracking the "decay" of satellite orbits (their slow fall back into the Earth's atmosphere).

Nasa says that debris could fall across an area 400-500km (250-310 miles) long.

In its latest update, the space agency said only that the spacecraft would "not be passing over North America" when it is expected to be pulled through the atmosphere to Earth.

The spacecraft could pass over Britain during its final passes over the planet.

Given that some 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by water, a splash-down for the debris seems most likely. But there remains a real possibility that some debris could fall on land.

[link to www.bbc.co.uk]