Almost 14 years after it launched into space, a giant Nasa satellite is expected to come crashing down to Earth on Tuesday evening.
At approximately 11.45pm GMT (7.45pm EDT), the Van Allen Probe A will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, though it is not known where.
Weighing 600kg (1,323lb), the spacecraft is unlikely to hit anyone on the ground, with the US space agency saying the risk is approximately 1 in 4,200, or 0.02 per cent.
“Nasa expects most of the spacecraft to burn up as it travels through the atmosphere, but some components are expected to survive re-entry,” Nasa said on Monday.
“The risk of harm coming to anyone on Earth is low. Nasa and Space Force will continue to monitor the re-entry and update predictions.”
The Van Allen Probe A is one of two twin satellites, along with the Van Allen Probe B, which launched in August 2012 to gather data from Earth’s two permanent radiation belts – named after the scientist James Van Allen.
Spacecraft and satellites typically avoid these belts in order to minimise radiation damage. However, studying them is important to understanding space weather and how Earth is shielded from cosmic radiation, solar storms and solar wind.
Originally set for a two-year mission, the Van Allen Probes operated for seven years before going out of service in 2019.
In that time, the data gathered has played a significant role in improving space weather forecasts and predicting how solar activity impacts satellites, astronauts and power grid systems on Earth.
Nasa said the second Van Allen Probe is not expected to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere before 2030.
Instances of space objects harming people or property on the ground are extremely rare, but not unprecedented.
In 2002, a six-year-old boy in northern China was struck by a 10kg piece of debris following a satellite launch in a nearby province. He reportedly suffered minor injuries to his toe and head.
