SoylentNews

butthurt writes:

Space.com reports (Tor-friendly link) that amateur satellite tracker Thomas Dorman has created imagery that suggests China's Tiangong-1 space station "is in a slow roll." If that is the situation, its motion is not under control and its solar panels are not aimed at the Sun.

In March, official news agency Xinhua reported that "Tiangong-1 terminated its data service" and that

The flight orbit of the space lab, which will descend gradually in the coming months, is under continued and close monitoring, according to the [manned space engineering] office, which said the orbiter will burn up in the atmosphere eventually.

The official statement and Dorman's observations have led to speculation that the craft's descent may take place in an uncontrolled manner, increasing the possibility that debris will fall in populated areas.

Additional coverage:

• Inquisitr
• The Independent
• Shanghaiist
• India Times
• Indian Express

Original Submission