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| Tiangong-1 Space Station (an artist's illustration, CREDIT: CMSA) |
The space shuttle launched from China on September 29, 2011. It placed in low Earth orbit at approximately 217 miles away from the surface, which it's orbit is slightly lower than the International Space Station. The Chinese space shuttle was meant for training, as first steps, for space docking which is a necessity for larger space missions and possible missions to Mars. It was not meant for a long-term permanent station. It came with a manned laboratory, and experimental test-beds for docking purposes.
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Tiangong-1 is a single module space station which had received many major missions in 2011-2013, but has lost communication with flight controllers in 2016. Crews have not visited Tiangong-1 since 2013, there has also been another space station module the Tiangong-2 which was launched in 2016. The Tiangong-2 & 3 were set to replace T-1, and T-1 was supposed to be deorbited in 2013 but now the process has taken another turn.
Tiangong-1 is on an uncontrolled fall from orbit, but there is no projected damage as there is an extremely small risk of being struck by debris or having property damaged. The threat of being hit by any debris is extremely small. IADC predicted that Tiangong-1 will crash somewhere aroun 42.8° North and 42° South latitudes. Its a sad way to end the lifespan of technological advances but we look forward to future breakthroughs in the market.
