NASA spacecraft expected to re-enter atmosphere with possibility of debris rain
The Van Allen probe, which studied how Earth is protected from harmful space radiation, may fall to Earth tonight. Here’s what to know
This artist’s rendition represents NASA’s twin Van Allen probes in orbit within Earth’s magnetic field to detect radiation belts.
A NASA spacecraft could re-enter the atmosphere tonight at about 7:45 EDT, with the agency warning that one in 4,200 people are at risk of harm as a result of potential debris.
When the 600-kilogram Van Allen Probe re-enters Earth’s atmosphere, much of it will burn up, but NASA hopes some parts will survive the journey. announced On Monday. The exact time of the event is unclear: the space agency says the 7:45 p.m. EDT estimate has a plus or minus 24-hour uncertainty.
The probe is one of two companion spacecraft launched in 2012 to study the “Van Allen Belt” – the bands of protons and electrons that encircle Earth, shielding our planet from harmful space weather and radiation. The mission ended in 2019 when the probe ran out of fuel.
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The Van Allen Belt is a harsh region and can be harmful to spacecraft and astronauts alike. Notably, NASA said the probe was not expected to return to Earth until 2034, but it is touching down earlier than scheduled due to a “much more active than expected” solar cycle.
It’s not clear from NASA’s note where Probe A will enter the atmosphere — or where any debris might fall; Both NASA and the US Space Force are tracking its path. (NASA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.) But the agency emphasizes that the risk of any danger to humans is “low,” or about one in 4,200. Most of the Earth’s surface is covered with water, so parts of the probe would most likely hit the ocean – minimizing the risk to humans. But for context, these are worse possibilities than what is likely to happen. struck by lightning Or being bitten by a shark.
The probe has served researchers well during its time in orbit, helping scientists discover entire radiation belts previously unknown.
“The Van Allen Probes have rewritten the textbook on radiation belt physics,” said Sasha Ukhorsky, a project scientist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory who worked on the mission. 2019 statement When the investigations were over. “The spacecraft used uniquely capable instruments to unveil radiation belt features that were invisible to previous sensors, and discovered several new physical mechanisms of radiation belt acceleration and loss.”
This is a breaking news story and may be updated.
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