Out-of-control Chinese space station possibly on crash course with New Zealand

March 9, 2018

A Chinese space station, which is currently hurtling out-of-control through space, could impact the Earth within 21 days and New Zealand may be in the firing line.

According to experts the Tiangong-1 is set to re-enter Earth's atmosphere between March 29 and April 9 the Daily Mail reports.

The craft weighs 8.5 tonnes and has been in danger of hitting Earth since it was lost in 2016. The space station is believed to contain the toxic chemical hydrazine.

While it's exact re-entry location cannot be pinpointed, space agencies believe the doomed piece of space junk has a higher chance of hitting New Zealand, the US, Europe and Australia.

This is due to the orbit the space station is currently in.

The US research organisation Aerospace thinks debris from the station will re-enter Earth's atmosphere on April 3, give or take a week.

According to latitude estimates released by the European Space Agency, the top of the South Island and the North Island of New Zealand are possibly at risk from the station re-entry.

The exact location of where the space station will hit should become clearer closer to the impact date.

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