<2> A 1,300-Pound NASA Spacecraft To Re-Enter Earth’s Atmosphere
<3> Background Information
The Van Allen Probe A, a 1,300-pound (600 kg) NASA satellite, was launched in 2012 to study Earth’s radiation belts. As part of its mission, the spacecraft and its twin, Van Allen Probe B, were designed to gather unprecedented data on Earth’s two permanent radiation belts.
<3> Expected Re-Entry
The spacecraft is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere this week, with the U.S. Space Force predicting a re-entry time of around 19:45 EST (00:45 GMT) on Tuesday. However, there is a 24-hour margin of “uncertainty” in the timing, according to NASA.
<3> Risk Assessment
While most of the spacecraft is expected to burn up during descent, “some components may survive,” reports the BBC. The space agency said there is a one in 4,200 chance of being harmed by a piece of the probe, which it characterized as ‘low’ risk.
<3> Mission Objectives
The Van Allen Probes were designed to study the Earth’s radiation belts, which are regions around the Earth where charged particles from