Michigan could be target for falling Chinese space station

TEMPERENCE, Mich. (13abc Action News) - It could be a rare piece of science landing in our own back yards. It could be a dangerous situation. It could be nothing.

A Chinese space station is falling back to earth and it could land in southern Michigan.

There are lots of possibilities for the track of this thing, from ocean to ocean, with Michigan as one possibility.

So Michigan is not a sure thing. It has people intrigued, not really worried.

The impact people were thinking about Saturday night at Forest View Lanes in Temperance is a bowling ball on ten pins, not a school bus sized space station falling to the earth.

"I was thinking it was fake at first," said Zach Szczupanik.

Szczupanik says while it might be an interesting sight, he and his daughter have decided this could be a money making opportunity.

"She said it would be pretty cool if we found pieces of it after it burns in the atmosphere and then we could sell it," said Szczupanik.

Most of this space station might burn up before it even hits the ground but there's always a chance it may not. In fact Michigan activated its emergency operations center to monitor its re-entry.

We all just joke about it," said Nathan Shupp.

But officials are taking in seriously just in case with that slight chance this 8.5 ton object heads our way.

"It's crazy, it could be anywhere. Large range of where it could fall," said Shupp.

"I wasn't really surprised. I mean I used to read all the time that different ones fell from the sky but normally they just land in the ocean and then they go collect it," said Sara Duran.

That is certainly a possibility but authorities don't want Duran or anyone for that matter touching any piece if they encounter it. Which is highly unlikely.

"Michigan has a lot of farms it could fall wherever a farm is at. Realistically someone could be in danger, someone could not be in danger," said Duran.

If you do see a piece of space junk you are supposed to call 911 right away. Right now, it's supposed to hit earth, if it does around 7pm Sunday night.

===============================================================================

source:http://www.13abc.com/content/news/Michigan-could-be-target-for-Chinese-space-station-478473823.html