Chinese space station spurs activation of Mich. emergency operations

Be on the lookout for flying space junk, Michiganders.

China's Tiangong-1 space station is anticipated to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere between now and April 2 and in response, Gov. Rick Snyder activated Michigan's Emergency Operations Center today to monitor its travels.

Although unlikely, pieces of the 8.5 ton space station have the potential to land in the southern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, according to the Aerospace Corporation. Debris may contain a highly toxic and corrosive substance called hydrazine.

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Anyone who suspects they have encountered debris from the space station is asked by the Emergency Operations Center to call 911 and stay at least 150 feet away from it.

While the possibility that space debris could land in Michigan looms, the odds of it actually happening are miniscule.

"When considering the worst-case location ... the probability that a specific person (i.e., you) will be struck by Tiangong-1 debris is about 1 million times smaller than the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot," according to Aerospace, a government contractor that provides research, development, and advisory services to national-security space programs.

Contact Omar Abdel-Baqui: 313-222-8850 or oabdelbaqu@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @omarabdelb