European Space Agency Satellite Likely to Re-Enter Earth's Atmosphere
Paris: A satellite operated by the European Space Agency (ESA), which has been active in orbit for 29 years, is expected to crash back to Earth soon. The 2267-kilogram ERS-2 satellite was launched from French Guiana in 1995.
According to experts at the agency, this satellite is expected to enter Earth's atmosphere sometime in mid-February. However, it cannot be definitively stated when and where it will crash.
Expert Insights on the Satellite's Re-Entry and Potential Impact
The agency anticipates that the satellite's parts will likely fall into the sea, with the chances of causing injuries estimated to be less than one in 100 billion.
In a statement released by the agency, it was mentioned that the European Remote Sensing Satellite 2 (ERS-2) will re-enter Earth's orbit and begin to burn up around mid-February 2024. However, predicting exactly when this burning will begin is not feasible.
Space agencies have informed us that they are closely monitoring the satellite along with their international partners and will continuously provide updates on the upcoming developments in the coming days.
It is noteworthy that the artificial satellite was launched in April 1995 to study Earth's land surfaces, oceans, and polar ice caps.
Fifteen years later, in 2011, the mission was completed, and the satellite has remained active until now.