Defunct NASA satellite to crash back to Earth
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The Van Allen probe, which studied how the Earth is protected from harmful space radiation, could fall to Earth tonight. Here’s what to know
A 1,300-pound NASA satellite is set to reenter Earth’s atmosphere Tuesday evening after more than a decade in orbit, according to projections from the agency and U.S. Space Force. The spacecraft, Van Allen Probe A,
NASA’s 1,323-pound Van Allen Probe A is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere nearly 14 years after its launch.
Weighing just over 1,300 pounds, NASA’s Van Allen Probe A is hurtling toward Earth, its fiery re-entry set to slam into the atmosphere later tonight.
NASA's Van Allen Probe A is expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere almost 14 years after launch. From 2012 to 2019, the spacecraft and its twin, Van Allen Probe B, flew through the Van Allen belts, rings of charged particles trapped by Earth's magnetic field,
NASA and the U.S. Space Force have been tracking a one in 4,200 chance that remnants from spacecraft can survive re-entry and harm someone on Earth. (NASA.gov photo)