NASA's Van Allen Probe A Crashes in Uncontrolled Reentry Over the Pacific
TL;DR
An aging NASA satellite, Van Allen Probe A, reentered Earth’s atmosphere in an uncontrolled event over the Pacific after fuel depletion; most of the 600-kg spacecraft is expected to burn up, with NASA estimating a 1-in-4,200 chance of bodily harm on the ground. Its twin, Van Allen Probe B, remains in orbit and is not expected to reenter before 2030. Launched in 2012 to study the Van Allen radiation belts, the probes ceased operation after fuel ran out in 2019.
- NASA Spacecraft Crashes Back to Earth in Uncontrolled Reentry ScienceAlert
- NASA spacecraft makes an uncontrolled plunge back to Earth CNN
- Nasa spacecraft weighing 1,300lb due to re-enter Earth's atmosphere BBC
- NASA says a 1,300-pound satellite will crash into Earth Tuesday or Wednesday fox10tv.com
- Defunct NASA satellite to crash back to Earth, with a small risk of falling debris NBC News
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