European satellite falls out of orbit, breaks over Pacific
Time:2024-05-21 14:46:45 Source:entertainmentViews(143)
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — An old Earth-observing satellite fell out of orbit Wednesday and harmlessly broke apart over the Pacific.
The European Remote Sensing 2 satellite reentered halfway between Hawaii and Alaska. The European Space Agency confirmed the demise of the 5,000-pound (2,300-kilogram) spacecraft, known as ERS-2.
No damage or injuries were reported. Experts had expected most of the satellite to burn up.
Launched in 1995, the spacecraft was retired in 2011. Flight controllers quickly lowered its orbit to avoid hitting other satellites, using up all the fuel, and natural orbital decay took care of the rest. Its entry was uncontrolled, and so the precise location could not be predicted.
“Gone, but not forgotten,” ESA said on X, formerly Twitter. “ERS-2 left a remarkable legacy of data that still continue to advance science.”
Its predecessor, ERS-1, which failed and stopped working decades ago, remains in orbit.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Previous:Amir Khan's £11.5m luxury wedding venue finally hosts its first marriage: Bride arrives on horse
Next:Verona confirms Serie A status for another year after beating Salernitana
You may also like
- Young Boys seals 6th Swiss soccer league title in 7 years after rallying from firing coach Wicky
- Could Al Murray's Pub Landlord be arrested over Scotland's new hate crime law? Stand
- Pic Story of Rural Video Blogger in SW China's Sichuan
- Embroidery Revival Pays off in Rural Hubei County
- Shooting injures 2 at Missouri high school graduation ceremony
- CBA: Liaoning clinch best regular season record
- Highlights of Weightlifting matches at 19th Asian Games
- GLOBALink
- California congressman urges closer consultation with tribes on offshore wind