Tiny fragments of Russian military satellite could hit Earth

Small fragments of a Russian military satellite and rocket stage could come crashing down to Earth this week, after the craft ‘suffered a malfunction’ in low Earth orbit.

The new-generation Angara A-5 heavy carrier rocket was launched on December 27 from Plesetsk spaceport carrying a dummy payload.

It was supposed to reach an orbit 22,000 miles above the Earth’s surface, but a failure in firing of the upper stage of the rocket, left it in low Earth orbit.

Experts predict that most of the 20 tonne payload will burn up in the atmosphere on Thursday morning, plus or minus 14 hours, with tiny fragments hitting the Earth.

The most likely scenario, according to experts tracking the rocket, is that it will land in the Pacific Ocean, but it is too early to predict exactly where it will come down.