"Countdown: 5,000lb Satellite's Earth Crash Time Revealed, Scientists Uncertain of Impact Location"

The European Space Agency (ESA) plans to crash its failed ERS-2 satellite back into Earth, with a tentative re-entry date and time set for 5:26 pm ET on February 19, although the margin of error in this prediction is slightly more than 1.5 days. The satellite, launched in 1995, collected valuable data on Earth's land surfaces, oceans, and polar caps, and was used to monitor natural disasters. Preparation for its end began in 2011, with reorbiting maneuvers to lower its altitude and reduce collision risk with other satellites or space debris.