An old scientific NASA satellite that had been orbiting Earth for more than a decade reentered the planet’s atmosphere uncontrollably, drawing global attention from scientists and space agencies. The spacecraft, known as Van Allen Probe A, returned to Earth after nearly 14 years in space, after losing the ability to maintain its orbit.
The satellite was launched in 2012 with the mission of studying the radiation belts that surround Earth, key regions for understanding how space radiation affects satellites, GPS systems, and astronauts. The mission officially ended in 2019 when the spacecraft ran out of fuel, although it continued orbiting the planet until recently.
According to NASA and the United States Space Force, the object finally reentered over the Pacific Ocean, where most of the satellite disintegrated due to the intense heat generated while passing through the atmosphere. However, some metal fragments may have survived the reentry.
Experts explained that the risk to people was extremely low, since most of Earth’s surface is covered by oceans and the majority of the satellite burns up during its fall.
Was the satellite dangerous for people on Earth?
Not really. NASA estimated that the probability of any fragment causing harm was about 1 in 4,200, which is considered a very low risk.
