A satellite re-entered Earth’s atmosphere over the north Pacific Ocean between Alaska and Hawaii, according to the European Space Agency. The 1995 Earth observation spacecraft, ERS-2, made an uncontrolled return, causing speculation about the potential dangers of its re-entry.
The European Space Agency reported that the return of ERS-2 was “natural,” meaning the agency was unable to predict the exact time and location of re-entry. The satellite, equivalent in weight to an adult male rhinoceros, had depleted batteries, with its communication antenna and onboard electronics switched off, making it impossible to control its descent from the ground. The agency explained that the last of ERS-2’s fuel was used up in 2011 to minimize the risk of a catastrophic explosion that could generate a large amount of space debris.
Although most of the satellite is believed to have burned up upon re-entering the atmosphere, the space agency has not confirmed how many pieces may have survived. However, it assured that any remnants would be “spread out somewhat randomly over a ground track on average hundreds of kilometers long and a few tens of kilometers wide.” Despite this, the annual risk of a person being injured by space debris is significantly low, estimated at less than 1 in 100 billion.
ERS-2, during its mission, was used to collect data on Earth’s land surfaces, oceans, and polar caps, as well as for monitoring natural disasters such as severe flooding and earthquakes. Its mission ended in 2011, when the European Space Agency initiated the deorbiting process to prevent collisions in orbit and mitigate the creation of space debris. The satellite’s remaining fuel was used up as it was deorbited, and its average altitude was also lowered.
The re-entry of ERS-2 into Earth’s atmosphere marks the end of its journey as an invaluable tool for studying and understanding various aspects of our planet. Despite the uncertainties surrounding its natural return, the satellite’s successful mission and controlled deorbiting process are noteworthy achievements in the field of space exploration and Earth observation.