NASA’s Van Allen Probe spacecraft, which weighs over 1,300 pounds (600kg), is about to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, almost 14 years after its launch. According to NASA, the spacecraft is expected to make its descent around 19:45 EST (00:45 GMT) on Tuesday, though there is a 24-hour uncertainty window surrounding the exact timing.
Launched in 2012, Van Allen Probe A is anticipated to mostly burn up upon entry into Earth’s atmosphere. However, there remains a one in 4,200 chance of being harmed by a piece of debris from the probe, but NASA has classified this as a low-risk event.
The spacecraft, along with its twin Van Allen Probe B, was originally designed to collect groundbreaking data on Earth’s two permanent radiation belts, known as the Van Allen belts. These belts are crucial in protecting the planet from harmful cosmic radiation and solar activity.
While NASA has yet to reveal the exact location of the probe’s re-entry, the US Space Force has committed to monitoring the situation and will update the public with any new predictions.
The mission was initially planned to last two years but ended up running for nearly seven years, as the spacecraft eventually ran out of fuel and was no longer able to orient itself towards the Sun. From 2012 to 2019, the probes flew through regions of charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetic field, studying how these particles were gained and lost.
NASA made significant discoveries during the mission, including the discovery of a transient third radiation belt, which can appear during periods of intense solar activity.
As for Van Allen Probe B, it is not expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere before 2030.
