“The ESA European Remote Sensing 2 (ERS-2) satellite will re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere in February 2024,” we read in a statement from the European Space Agency (ESA). According to the latest calculations, this will take place on Wednesday, February 21.
The satellite debris will fall to Earth. Her journey is being followed by ESA
According to scientists from the European Space Agency, the satellite will re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere on Wednesday (February 21) at 12:13 Polish time. However, it must be taken into account that the estimates are subject to quite a large error, as much as 15 hours. This is due to the fact that the equipment can no longer be controlled. The satellite’s flight path is also “affected by unpredictable solar activity, which in turn affects the density of the Earth’s atmosphere.”
The mass of the ERS-2 satellite is 2,294 kilograms. Therefore, in this respect, it does not stand out from other space debris that enters our atmosphere on average once a week. ESA assures that there is a very low risk that any of the falling fragments will pose a threat to people.
ERS-2 satellite mission. Almost twenty years in space
ERS-2 launched from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana on April 21, 1995. During her mission, she collected valuable information about the land surface, oceans and polar ice caps. It also monitored natural disasters. In 2011, ESA decided to end the facility’s mission.
Since then, the agency has sought to steer the satellite to a “safe death” and reduce the potential impact on future and current space activities. To this end, dozens of deorbital maneuvers were carried out to use up remaining fuel and lower the average altitude, which significantly accelerated the disintegration of the unit.
Source: Gazeta
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