Space

DATE=01/31/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=SATELLITE RE-ENTERS (S-Only)

NUMBER=2-285897

BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The U-S space agency NASA says a scientific satellite, launched a decade ago to study ultra-violet radiation, has fallen back to earth, breaking up into pieces as it re-entered Earth's atmosphere. Correspondent Nick Simeone reports, whatever parts of the spacecraft that survived re-entry, apparently fell to Earth harmlessly.

TEXT: NASA engineers were not sure exactly where the three-thousand-kilogram satellite would fall, predicting only that when it began to lose its orbit, bits and pieces could land anywhere, from Florida to Australia.

NASA spokesman Bob Jacobs says the spacecraft began entering the atmosphere around four hours universal time Thursday.

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The satellite re-entered somewhere over central Egypt.

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What is not yet known is how much of the satellite burned up as it re-entered the atmosphere.

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There is some initial concern that, because there are some dense pieces of metal made of titanium that some pieces may have survived re-entry, but we have no confirmation of that.

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NASA says the Egyptian government was given advance word about the falling satellite. The space agency had warned that any debris that survived re-entry, could be scattered over a thousand-kilometer area. (SIGNED)

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