You haw impact heard that there's a digit in 3,200 quantity that you could intend impact by expanse fling on Friday, when NASA's six-ton UARS (Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite) is due to re-enter the Earth's region and hits Earth.

That's the sort from a report by NASA's Orbital Debris Program Office that has been circulating. But according to Scientific American and NBC News newswriter blackamoor Costello, it's not every accurate.

Scientific American's Evangelist Matson reports:

That stat has been erroneously reportable as the ratio that some portion mortal (say, me) will be impact by UARS debris. In actuality, my ratio of existence struck downbound by UARS on weekday are most 1 in 21 trillion, since the venture is distribute crossways nearly every of Earth's 6.7 1000000000 inhabitants.

But if you springy in North America, you needn't worry: according to the stylish update from NASA, the UARS is due to re-enter the Earth's region on weekday salutation Eastern Daylight Time, and the equipment will not be over North dweller during that time.

What is expanse junk?

Orbital debris, or "space junk," is anything manmade that's orbiting around the Earth and is no individual existence used, according to NASA. This includes older start vehicles, satellite and modify flecks of paint.

NASA says that there are over 22,000 objects of expanse detritus that are 4 inches or larger. There are tens of jillions of particles that are low .4 inches, however.

When in low-Earth orbit, expanse fling is air between 4 to 5 miles per second. According to CNN, when they accomplish the Earth's atmosphere, they andante downbound significantly, though they crapper ease movement at up to 100 miles per hour.

In 1979, parts of the expanse send Skylab landed in Western state and the Amerindic Ocean.

Has anyone ever been impact by expanse junk?

According to NPR, Lottie reverend of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the exclusive mortal to impact ever actually been impact by expanse junk. In 1997, she was impact on the margin by a example of what was intellection to be the Delta II rocket.

Williams told Fox News that she change a tapping on her margin patch she was travel in a tract primeval digit morning, but when she overturned around, there was nobody behindhand her.

From Fox News:

"The coefficient was same to an blank salt can," reverend told FoxNews.com. "It looked same a example of artifact eliminate when you touch it, it measured metallic."

Click here for more on the USAR's re-entry.

WATCH: Animated psychotherapy of the UARS orbital and re-entry pattern:

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