2-ton satellite crashed over Pacific Ocean, says space agency

A two-ton satellite launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) into space almost 30 years ago returned to Earth on Wednesday (21). Called ERS-2, it crashed into the Pacific Ocean, between Alaska and Hawaii, in the United States.

The instrument's reentry was “natural”, according to ESA. “It was not possible to control ERS-2 at any time during its reentry and the only force that drove its descent was unpredictable atmospheric drag,” says the statement.

The agency decided to deorbit ERS-2 due to recent concerns about the long-term danger that orbital debris poses to space activities.

The decision was made back in 2011 and, since then, the object's altitude had been decreasing. On February 21, 2024, it reached the critical altitude of around 80 km, at which atmospheric resistance was so strong that it began to break into pieces.

According to ESA, ERS-2 provided long-term data on Earth's surfaces, ocean temperatures, ozone layer and polar ice extent that “revolutionized our understanding of the Earth system.”

“It has provided us with new knowledge about our planet, the chemistry of our atmosphere, the behavior of our oceans and the effects of human activities on our environment – ​​creating new opportunities for research and scientific applications,” said the director of Observation Programs. of ESA Earth, Simonetta Cheli .

ERS-2 and its predecessor ERS-1 were the most sophisticated satellites ever developed and launched by Europe.

“ERS heritage data is still widely used today, particularly in combination with data from more recent missions, as long-term data records are, for example, essential for identifying and understanding changes in our climate,” he said. the manager of ESA's Space Heritage Programme, Mirko Albani.

See also: Images of the Earth taken by satellites in space