Has the Satellite Hit Earth Yet? What to Know About ERS-2 – GWC Mag

Since the first satellite launched in 1957, scientists have been fascinated with discoveries beyond the Earth’s atmosphere. However, as the years pass and more debris begins to orbit the Earth, there is a question of what happens when this debris returns to solid ground.

Earth observation spacecraft European Remote Sensing 2 (ERS-2) was first launched in April 1995. According to the European Space Agency (ESA) website, the purpose of the satellite was to study sea surface temperatures and winds. However, the satellite’s mission ended in 2011, and it began the process of deorbiting.

The satellite is crashing back to Earth in February 2024 — but has it hit the surface yet? Keep reading for what you need to know.

According to updates from the ESA’s Space Debris Office, the ERS-2 satellite is predicted to make reentry to Earth on Feb. 21, 2024, at 20:53 UCT — roughly 8:53 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

So, no, the satellite has not hit the Earth just yet, but it’s due today! Here’s why its landing is such a big deal.

The ESA’s ERS-2 “Frequently Asked Questions” page explains that the ERS-2 lengthy deorbiting process ensures that satellites don’t linger in the atmosphere, potentially creating collisions. All of the electronics connected to the satellite have been deactivated, the internal batteries discharged, and the last fuel used up in 2011 to minimize the chance of a huge explosion, which would just cause more space debris.

This deorbiting process is known as “natural.” Unfortunately, it also means the ESA no longer has a direct connection to the satellite; it is impossible to predict exactly when and where the satellite will land.

That said, Australian satellite company HEO Robotics has captured images of the satellite as it returns to Earth on Feb. 14, 2024, and the photographs look like something out of a sci-fi film! You can check them all out here.

As it is a “natural” deorbiting process, it’s difficult to predict where the satellite might land. That said, during a press conference on Feb. 13, 2024, per Phys.org, the ESA gave a few reassuring statistics about the re-entry process, including this tidbit: “The odds of a piece of satellite falling on someone’s head is estimated at one in a billion.”

Technically, ERS-2 has been falling to Earth since 2011, but according to Earthsky.org, ERS-2 is scheduled to reach Earth today, Feb. 21, 2024.

This article, originally published on Feb. 20, 2024, has been updated.