Successful Reentry: The ERS-2 Satellite's Final Journey

Friday - February 23 2024, 14:19 UTC - 9 months ago

ESA successfully completed the controlled atmospheric reentry of its ERS-2 satellite on February 21, 2024. The satellite was launched in 1995 and has provided valuable data on Earth's land surfaces, oceans, and atmosphere. Despite some unpredictability in the reentry time, the satellite safely landed in the North Pacific Ocean with low risks of debris impacting Earth.

The European Space Agency (ESA) has successfully conducted the controlled atmospheric reentry of its ERS-2 satellite, which launched on 21 April 1995 and has been an essential tool for Earth observation and monitoring for nearly three decades. On Wednesday, February 21, 2024, at around 18:17 CET (17:17 UTC), the satellite completed its final journey as it disintegrated in the North Pacific Ocean without causing any damage to property.

Throughout the descent, ESA's Space Debris Office provided live updates on the satellite's progress. It was a month-and-a-half-long journey from the first predictions to the final landing, with the reentry time being significantly narrowed down to just +/- 1.76 hours as the event drew near. This unpredictability is attributed to the challenges of forecasting atmospheric density, which affects the satellite's orbit decay, as well as the complex interplay of atmospheric conditions and the satellite's orientation and updates based on ground sensors.

The ERS satellites (ERS-1 and ERS-2) have been pivotal in providing data that has revolutionized our understanding of Earth and its systems. These satellites have provided valuable insights on our planet's land surfaces, oceans, polar caps, and atmosphere, creating new opportunities for scientific research and applications.

Simonetta Cheli, ESA's Director of Earth Observation Programmes, highlighted the critical role of the ERS satellites in changing our view of the world and how they have provided us with new knowledge on Earth's environment and the effects of human activity on it.

The ERS-2 satellite's orbit was not a perfect circle, resulting in several variations in altitude, represented by the upper 'apogee' and lower 'perigee' lines on the graph. This complexity made it challenging to pinpoint the exact time and location of reentry, making the live updates from ESA's Space Debris Office crucial in providing accurate information to the public.

In their blog addressing public inquiries on the possible risks of debris hitting Earth, ESA reiterated the low risks associated with the satellite's reentry. The blog emphasized that the expected disintegration and dispersion of debris during reentry would significantly reduce any potential impacts on Earth.

Overall, the ERS-2 satellite's final journey was a successful one, with the satellite safely landing in the North Pacific Ocean. With its legacy of providing valuable data and insights on our planet, it has played a critical role in advancing our understanding of Earth and its environment.