The European Space Agency (ESA) is closely monitoring the descent of the European Remote Sensing satellite ERS-2, which is expected to return to Earth. ERS-2, launched in 1995 as a follow-up to ERS-1, marked a significant advancement in Earth observation technology at the time.
After being retired in 2011, the ESA began the process of de-orbiting ERS-2. Following 13 years of orbital decay primarily driven by solar activity, the satellite will naturally re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, breaking up into pieces during re-entry. The ESA is monitoring its anticipated landfall, which is projected to occur over the east coast of central Africa. The associated risks are considered very low, as any surviving pieces would be dispersed over a large area.
Based on data acquired on Feb. 20, the ESA’s Space Debris Office predicts that ERS-2 will re-enter the atmosphere around 15:32 GMT. However, this timing may vary by roughly four and a half hours due to the influence of unpredictable solar activity altering the density of Earth’s atmosphere and, consequently, the satellite’s drag.
During its 16-year operational lifespan, ERS-2 provided invaluable data that revolutionized our understanding of Earth and climate change. It gathered information on various phenomena, including polar ice reduction, changing land surfaces, rising sea levels, warming oceans, atmospheric chemistry, and monitoring natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes in remote regions.
As ERS-2 approaches its re-entry, the global scientific community awaits its descent with great interest and cautious anticipation.
