jimmy40
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WACO (February 15,2009)—-Debris from two communications satellites that collided in space last week fell to Earth Sunday morning in Central Texas, producing what one witness described as “a horrific explosion” that
The Federal Aviation Administration told News 10 an advisory came out Saturday advising that debris could fall to Earth.
Reports indicate that’s what happened Sunday from New Mexico to Houston.
Law enforcement agencies are being advised to contain the debris so it can be tested to confirm it came from the satellites.
Some residents saw the falling debris Sunday morning.
Jetta Hicks was driving on FM 1624 west of Calvert when she said she saw something burning in the sky, falling at a 45-degree angle.
She said it had a tail and appeared to be flaming.
She said she didn’t see anything hit the ground.
A resident of the Hubbard area reported seeking smoke high in the air at the time of the explosion.
Authorities were checking on reports of debris in the Leroy area early Sunday afternoon.
Firefighters and law enforcement officers started searching for the source of the explosion after residents began to report it just after 11 a.m. Sunday.
The most immediate concern was whether the debris had touched off any fires in the dry brush.
A law enforcement helicopter was used to survey the area from the air.
The pilot reported that he saw no evidence of fires.
The two communications satellites collided Tuesday in the first-ever crash of two intact spacecraft in orbit.
The collision occurred Tuesday nearly 500 miles over Siberia, producing a pair of massive debris clouds, according to NASA.
The collision involved an Iridium commercial satellite, which was launched in 1997, and a Russian satellite launched in 1993 and believed to be non-functioning.
Each satellite weighed more than 1, 000 pounds, officials said.
My wife and kids saw this on their way home from church here in Bryan.
The Federal Aviation Administration told News 10 an advisory came out Saturday advising that debris could fall to Earth.
Reports indicate that’s what happened Sunday from New Mexico to Houston.
Law enforcement agencies are being advised to contain the debris so it can be tested to confirm it came from the satellites.
Some residents saw the falling debris Sunday morning.
Jetta Hicks was driving on FM 1624 west of Calvert when she said she saw something burning in the sky, falling at a 45-degree angle.
She said it had a tail and appeared to be flaming.
She said she didn’t see anything hit the ground.
A resident of the Hubbard area reported seeking smoke high in the air at the time of the explosion.
Authorities were checking on reports of debris in the Leroy area early Sunday afternoon.
Firefighters and law enforcement officers started searching for the source of the explosion after residents began to report it just after 11 a.m. Sunday.
The most immediate concern was whether the debris had touched off any fires in the dry brush.
A law enforcement helicopter was used to survey the area from the air.
The pilot reported that he saw no evidence of fires.
The two communications satellites collided Tuesday in the first-ever crash of two intact spacecraft in orbit.
The collision occurred Tuesday nearly 500 miles over Siberia, producing a pair of massive debris clouds, according to NASA.
The collision involved an Iridium commercial satellite, which was launched in 1997, and a Russian satellite launched in 1993 and believed to be non-functioning.
Each satellite weighed more than 1, 000 pounds, officials said.
My wife and kids saw this on their way home from church here in Bryan.