NASA has warned that an out-of-control satellite is set to crash back to Earth later today after almost 14 years in space.
The space agency says mosts of its Van Allen Probe A spacecraft will probably burn up on re-entry but some chunks are expected to survive.
Van Allen Probe A has been in space since August 2012
It’s estimated that there’s a one in 4,200 chance of the satellite causing harm to anyone on .
While this may sound like a lot, it’s ranked by as being a low risk.
Van Allen Probe A was launched into lower Earth orbit back in August 2012 on a mission to to study high-energy particles within Earth’s radiation belts.
But it was deactivated in October 2019 after it ran out of fuel.
Nasa expects Van Allen Probe A to crash back to Earth later today (March 10) at around 11.45pm UK time / 7.45pm EDT.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
I'm dedicated to creating high-quality content that informs, inspires, and delights. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to get in touch. Happy reading!
