ALERT: China’s Space Station 'Out of Control'? Tiangong-1 could be on an uncontrolled collision course with the Earth (+Video)

China may have lost contact with its first ever space station raising fears that it could career back to Earth in an uncontrolled re-entry.

The Chinese Tiangong-1 space station module was launched in 2011 and was expected to be deorbited at the end of its life to crash into the ocean or burn up in the atmosphere.

But there are reports China has lost control of the spacecraft, meaning it could crash back into the Earth’s atmosphere, exploding into molten metal that could be devastating over inhabited areas.

Satellite trackers who have been watching the movement of Tiangong as it orbits the Earth believe China may have lost control of the unmanned 8 ton (7.3 tonnes) vehicle. 

Thomas Dorman, an amateur satellite tracker, told Space.com: ‘If I am right, China will wait until the last minute to let the world know it has a problem with their space station. It could be a real bad day if pieces of this came down in a populated area, but odds are it will land in the ocean or in an unpopulated area.’

By Shivali Best For Mailonline
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Clips, images credit: ESO, ESA/HUBBLE & NASA