Update: 4.30pm AEST 26 June 2010
According to CalSky, the Falcon 9 rocket/Dragon capsule will decay from orbit at 4.30pm AEST on the 27 June 2010.
Original post:
Someone is going to have to be ready to duck in the next couple of days. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon test capsule are due to come crashing to Earth in the next couple of days.
No one knows exactly when but the combined rocket and test capsule were put into such a low orbit that it has to happen. The rocket has had an interesting but brief orbital life. It was launched on the 5th of June 5th 2010 (AEST(. Shortly after launch, the second stage of the rocket was seen from a large part of South Eastern Australia as a large spirialing shape travelling across the sky. This presumably was caused by excess fuel being vented from the tanks to prevent it from exploding. It was the first lauch of the rocket and presumably it was put into such a low orbit to ensure that SpaceX would have some idea of when it would deorbit.
Working out when the Falcon 9 rocket is going to re-enter is tricky. It is quickly being braked by the Earth’s atmosphere and once the rocket is travelling slow enough it will fall out of the sky. It is worth trying to work out when because it will create a spectacular fireball as it does so. All I can suggest you do is use the Heavens-Above.com and Calsky website to let you know if any passes are visible from your location in the next couple of days. One of those passes will be the rockets last.
