2 tons of iron will soon fall to Earth: what is the threat?
ERS-2, the retired European satellite, will soon enter the atmosphere to end its life. The European Space Agency provided details.
Belonging to the European Space Agency (ESA), the ESR-2 satellite was launched in 1995 and carried out its tasks until 2011, but its return was scheduled for the end of February 2024.
Typically for this type of construction, most of the components will burn in the atmosphere. ESA estimates that fragmentation will occur at altitude about 80 km. Although some of the fragments will fall to Earth anyway, the agency says there is no need to worry: they will not contain any toxic or radioactive substances.
By performing a series of 66 maneuvers in July and August 2011, ESA somehow predicted the end of ERS-2’s life. In this way the fuel remaining in the tanks was used up and reduced the average altitude from 785 km to approximately 573 km, minimizing the risk of collisions with other satellites or space debris.
The goal is to provide deorbit fast enoughto re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere within the next 15 years – explained in the FAQ at the time.
Technically, ERS-2 was considered at launch the most advanced Earth observation satelliteever developed and launched on the Old Continent. Initially weighed 2516 kgbut now, without fuel, it weighs less – 2294 kg.
À lire : ERS-2 a observé pendant 16 ans la diminution des glaces polaires, la modification des surfaces terrestres, l’élévation du niveau de la mer, le réchauffement des océans et la chimie atmosphérique.
À la fin de la mission en 2011, l’Agence abaissé l’altitude du satellite… pic.twitter.com/lAXA4NELk1— ESA France (@ESA_fr) February 6, 2024
However, it should be noted that although this number seems significant, objects of similar mass they enter the Earth’s atmosphere on average every week or two. To calm down the mood, ESA also uses pure mathematics.
As we read in the official announcement, the probability of a human being struck by space debris is 1 to 100 billion. And there are 65 thousand. times lower than the probability of being struck by lightning, and ESR-2 itself probably will fall into the ocean.
