Paris: A European Space Agency satellite that has been active in space for 29 years is likely to fall back to Earth this month. The 2267 kg ERS-2 satellite was launched in 1995 from French Guiana.
According to the agency’s experts, this satellite will enter the Earth’s atmosphere in mid-February. However, nothing can be definitively said about when and where it will fall.
The agency expects parts of the satellite to fall into the ocean, with a less than one in 100 billion chance of injury.
The European Remote Sensing 2 satellite will re-enter Earth orbit and begin burning in mid-February 2024, the agency said in a statement. However, it is not possible to predict when this burning will begin.
The space agency said that the agency, along with its international partners, is closely monitoring the satellite and will provide updates on this on a continuous basis in the coming days.
The satellite was launched in April 1995 to study the Earth’s landmasses, oceans and polar caps.
After 15 years in 2011, the satellite was still operational after the mission was fully commissioned.
