A 1,300-pound NASA spacecraft to re-enter Earth's atmosphere
9 hours ago
- #Re-entry
- #NASA
- #Spacecraft
- A 1,300-pound NASA spacecraft, Van Allen Probe A, is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere after nearly 14 years in space.
- Re-entry is projected around 19:45 EST on Tuesday, with a 24-hour margin of uncertainty.
- Most of the spacecraft will burn up, but some components may survive, posing a low risk (1 in 4,200 chance of harm).
- The mission, initially planned for two years, lasted almost seven, ending when the probes ran out of fuel.
- The probes studied Earth's Van Allen radiation belts, which shield the planet from harmful cosmic radiation and solar storms.
- Significant discoveries included identifying a transient third radiation belt during intense solar activity.
- Van Allen Probe B is not expected to re-enter before 2030.