Oklahoma Woman Struck By Space Debris Keeps Eye On Satellite

Lisa Monahan, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A NASA satellite is expected to hit Earth on Friday afternoon. The satellite is reported to weigh six to seven tons--roughly the size of a school bus.

Much of the satellite will burn up in the atmosphere dropping a dozen pieces to Earth. There has only been one reported incident where space debris fell on a person.

In 1997, Lottie Williams was walking in a park in Tulsa, when she was hit on the shoulder by a piece of metal. The metal was later confirmed to be a piece of a Delta II rocket.

Williams was not injured in that incident and now that space junk threatens to fall on Earth again, she is sharing her experience, and she believes it could happen again.

"I am assuming that we are safe now. On the other hand, if it was going to hit somewhere around in this area, I would be outdoors," she said.

Williams said it was magnificent to see a ball of fire race across the sky and that it was nothing but scary when she felt something fall on her shoulder.

"I guess I was in the right or wrong place at the right or wrong time, I haven't decided yet."

Williams said she does not plan to take cover on Friday afternoon. Instead, she will be watching.

"You will not hear it coming, you just have to see it heading for you," she said.

Williams also said she believes lightning does not strike twice and she is praying that theory is the same for space junk.

NASA said it expects the space debris to miss North America.