PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - Two decommissioned satellites could possibly collide high above Pittsburgh on Wednesday afternoon and the chances of it happening have increased.
According to space debris tracker Leo Labs, a decommissioned telescope launched in 1983 and an experimental US payload launched in 1967 will pass close to each other at approximately 6:30 p.m.
Leo Labs says the probability of the two satellites colliding has increased from 1 in 100 to 1 in 20.
4/ Adjusting our calculations to account for larger object sizes (by increasing our combined Hard Body Radius from 5m to 10m), this yields an updated collision probability closer to 1 in 20.
— LeoLabs, Inc. (@LeoLabs_Space) January 29, 2020While the chances the two collide are still "unlikely", Leo Labs radars will track both satellites longer than planned to search for any new debris.
The two satellites, a little under 560 above the earth, will pass within meters of each other at a rate of 9 miles per second.
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