Large debris can apparently rain down on Earth during the second week of May as the unmanned, Russian cargo ship, Progress 59 (M-27M) is now hurtling back to Earth after it failed to reach the International Space Station. 

The Russian cargo ship was on its mission to deliver three tons of supplies to the orbiting space laboratory when it suddenly lost all communications en route following its launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Central Asia on April 28, Tuesday.

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To date, Russia has abandoned all hope after attempting to reconnect with the spacecraft according to space agency, Roscosmos. An offical confirmed that the spacecraft is now on its descent towards Earth since it has nowhere else to go.

The wreckage from the spacecraft will most likely burn up when it gains re-entry in the Earth's atmosphere says Russian sector flight director for the ISS, Vladimir Solovyev. Some burnt up remnants of the debris will most probably fall to the Earth anywhere between May 5 to 7 however, the exact location of the landing will be determined in the next few days says Solovyev.

According to astrophysicist Charley Lineweaver from the Australian National University, if the Russian spacecraft did continue on its current orbit then the debris can fall and be scattered between plus 50 and minus 50 degrees latitude spanning the surface of the planet, meaning it could cover two thirds of Earth.

Lineweaver adds that if the debris falls down at a very narrow angle, it could completely burn up. However, if its trajectory is more vertical when there are bigger chunks left the size of a human head, a debris field will be created. He also says that the chances of hitting a person or a city are extremely low.

Progress is scheduled to dock on the ISS today as the crew awaits its cargo. NASA says that cargo on the spaceship was not that critical since the astronauts have plenty of supplies and provisions to last them for months.

The next cargo resupply delivery mission to the ISS will be via SpaceX's Dragon capsule this June 19.

TagsNASA, ISS, progress 59, Progress M-27M, russian cargo ship out of control, russian cargo ship falling to earth