Heavenly descent

[Robert]

China’s first space station is expected to come crashing down to Earth next year, fuelling concerns that Chinese space authorities have lost control of the 8.5-tonne module.

The Tiangong-1 or “Heavenly Palace” lab was described as a “potent political symbol” of China’s growing power when it was launched in 2011 as part of an ambitious scientific push to turn China into a space superpower.

 

[redrumloa]

I hope my homeowner and car insurance covers Chinese space stations crashing to earth!

 

[Robert]

I hope my homeowner and car insurance covers Chinese space stations crashing to earth!

Act of God?

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

2011 to 2017 - seems like a short mission, but then I think back to skylab and that was only up for six years. Skylab weighed about 10 times as much but didn't hit anything important when it came down.

 

[Robert]

2011 to 2017 - seems like a short mission, but then I think back to skylab and that was only up for six years. Skylab weighed about 10 times as much but didn't hit anything important when it came down.

The article suggests that the reason for the mission ending is that they've lost control of it but it's not clear whether that is the case.