A European satellite is going to fall on Earth in the next few hours, according to BBC. ERS-2 was a pioneering observing platform when it launched in 1995, forging technologies that are routinely used today to monitor the planet.
It has been gradually descending since it ceased operation in 2011 and will make an uncontrolled, fiery plunge into the atmosphere sometime on Wednesday.
The European Space Agency (Esa) says most of the two-tonne satellite will burn up in the fall.
It is possible that some more durable parts can withstand the intense heating generated during high-speed diving, but the chances of these fragments falling into populated areas and causing damage are slim.
They could land almost anywhere in the world, but with most of the Earth's surface covered by ocean, any debris that survives the surface is very likely to be lost at sea.
“And it's worth emphasizing that none of the elements that could re-enter the atmosphere (and reach the surface) are radioactive or toxic,” said Mirko Albani from Esa's Earth Observation Division.
Source: News Beast
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