The failure of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) ERS-2 satellite, which weighs more than two tonnes, is expected to partially burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere in mid-February 2024. This situation was officially reported Web site ESA.
According to expert calculations, the satellite will break into pieces at an altitude of about 80 kilometers above the Earth, most of which will turn into dust before reaching the Earth. However, some fragments may fall to the planet’s surface. They will most likely drown in the ocean. ESA has assured that the debris does not contain radioactive or toxic substances.
ESA experts estimate that the probability of a person being hit by part of the satellite is 1 in 100 billion; This is 65 thousand times less than being a victim of a lightning strike.
ERS-2 was launched into Earth orbit in April 1995 and completed its mission in September 2011. The device was designed for space exploration of the planet.
ESA began preparing to dismantle ERS-2 before the end of its service period, performing 66 maneuvers in the summer of 2011. These operations consumed the satellite’s remaining fuel and reduced the satellite’s altitude above the Earth’s surface from 785 kilometers to 573 kilometers. The European Space Agency has described ERS-2 as the most advanced Earth observation spacecraft ever developed and launched in Europe.
Previous scientists was created Model used to estimate the amount of space debris orbiting the Earth.