ROSAT reentered atmosphere over Bay of Bengal

ROSAT, captured by the Tracking and Imaging RAdar (TIRA) at the Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques in Wachtberg, Bonn. This picture was taken on October 20, 2011, three days before reentry: note the antenna mast of the satellite - (Credits: Fraunhofer FHR).

Accordint to German space agency DLR and its partners, including NASA, the Roentgen Satellite (ROSAT) reentered the atmosphere over the Bay of Bengal on 23 October 2011 at 03:50 CEST. It is not yet known whether any part of the satellite has reached the ground. Determination of the time and location of re-entry was based on the evaluation of data provided by international partners, including the USA.

Read the DLR press release. You can see some pictures of the ROSAT satellite taken from the ground by Ralf Vandebergh. Also recommended, “Has Anyone been Hit by Space debris?” In the video, below, a reconstruction of the reentry and disintegration of the satellite.

 

 

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Andrea Gini

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Andrea Gini is a content strategy consultant specialized in companies of the space sector. He is founder of Space Safety Magazine, where he held the position of Editor-in-Chief until March 2015. Between 2011 and 2013 he worked in the European Space Agency in the Independent Safety Office, which overviews the utilization of the International Space Station. He previously worked as Software Developer, IT Consultant, and trainer of Java-related technologies. Andrea holds a BSc and an MSc in computer science from the University of Milano, a Master in Communication of Science from the International School for Advanced Studies of Trieste and a MSc in Space Studies from the International Space University.

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