Emergency planning and preparedness for re-entry of a nuclear powered satellite.

During 1978, the nuclear powered satellite Cosmos 954 re-entered the earth's atmosphere over Canada and contaminated a large area of northern Canada which is sparsely populated. There was considerable public alarm and concern as a result of the re-entry and the extensive recovery operations. Since that time, there have been subsequent unsettling episodes created by the announcement of the possible re-entry of other nuclear powered satellites. Although the probability of future nuclear powered satellite re-entries remains small, the IAEA believes that it is prudent for governments to be alert to this potential risk and consider at least a minimal amount of planning to protect the public health and safety. In this respect, the IAEA has been encouraged by its Member States to prepare guidance to assist States in planning for possible future re-entry events and to provide international consensus guidance for responding to such a situation. Ideally, the information and guidance provided in this document should be reviewed by states so that they may understand the probability and risk of such potential occurences