Almost 14 years after its launch, NASA expects its Van Allen Probe A to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere on Tuesday. The U.S. Space Force predicts the roughly 1,323-pound spacecraft will re-enter the atmosphere at approximately 7:45 p.m. EDT, give or take 24 hours.
While NASA expects some parts to survive re-entry, the space agency anticipates that most of the spacecraft will burn up as it passes through the atmosphere. NASA calls the risk of harm to anyone on Earth “low,” giving it odds of approximately 1-in-4,200 of hitting someone.
What did the Van Allen Probes do in space?
The spacecraft and its twin, Van Allen Probe B, traveled through the Van Allen belts, rings of charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetic field, between 2012 and 2019. Understanding the belts is crucial because they protect Earth from solar storms, cosmic radiation, and the continuously flowing solar wind, all of which are dangerous to people and can impair technology.
NASA scientists and engineers built the Van Allen Probes to be the first spacecraft to collect scientific data for several years inside the belts, an area surrounding our planet where harmful radiation limits most spacecraft and manned missions.
NASA named the probes for physicist James Van Allen. The space agency originally intended them to conduct a two-year mission. After launching on August 30, 2012, they collected unparalleled data on Earth’s two persistent radiation belts for nearly seven years. When the two spacecraft ran out of fuel and could no longer orient themselves toward the Sun, NASA terminated the project.
Scientists initially didn’t expect the Van Allen Probe to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere this quickly
An analysis initially estimated that the spacecraft would re-enter Earth’s atmosphere in 2034. However, scientists made those estimates before the current solar cycle, which has turned out to be significantly more active than anticipated. Due to the Sun reaching its solar maximum in 2024, which caused severe space weather, the spacecraft experienced an atmospheric pull stronger than anticipated, resulting in an earlier re-entry than initially expected.
NASA does not expect Van Allen Probe B, the twin of the re-entering spacecraft, to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere before 2030.
The post Heads Up! NASA Probe About To Re-Enter Earth’s Atmosphere Has 1-In-4,200 Chance Of Hitting Someone appeared first on BroBible.
Heads Up! NASA Probe About To Re-Enter Earth’s Atmosphere Has 1-In-4,200 Chance Of Hitting Someone
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