A Nasa satellite that spent 14 years studying Earth's radiation belts has crashed into the Pacific Ocean, with no reports of damage or injury. The Van Allen Probe A, weighing 600kg, re-entered the atmosphere on Tuesday evening, most of it burning up before reaching the surface.
The US Space Force estimated the re-entry at about 7.45pm EDT, with debris likely falling over a remote area of the Pacific. Nasa said the risk to humans was extremely low, calculating a 1 in 4,200 chance of anyone being harmed.
Launched in 2012 alongside its twin, Van Allen Probe B, the satellite investigated the Van Allen radiation belts—zones of charged particles trapped by Earth's magnetic field. Both probes were deactivated in 2019 after running out of fuel.
While space debris re-entries are common, with about 5,400 tons surviving over 40 years, the odds of being struck are minimal due to Earth's 71% water coverage. The only known person hit by space debris was Lottie Williams in 1997, who was uninjured.
Van Allen Probe B is expected to remain in orbit until the end of this decade.
