The European Space Agency has shared the first pictures of the European Remote Sensing 2 satellite (ERS-2) as it tumbles out of orbit on its way to crash on Earth.
The images were captured by cameras on board other satellites by Australian company HEO on behalf of the UK Space Agency. The images show the spacecraft on a descent path as it is expected to crash and burn in Earth’s atmosphere.
These images were captured during ‘flyby’ inspections, during which a satellite photographs an inactive spacecraft, rocket body, upper stage, or uncontrolled space debris as it passes.
The images were captured on January 14, 28, and 29 followed by February 3 as the spacecraft tumbled at an altitude of 300 kilometers above Earth.
Since the pictures were taken, the satellite altitude has dropped by 100 kilometers. “The satellite has since dropped to an altitude of around 200 km. It is now falling by more than 10 km per day and the speed of its descent is increasing rapidly. When it reaches approximately 80 km, it will begin to break into pieces,” ESA said in an update.
After a remarkable 16-year tenure observing Earth, the European Remote Sensing satellite will make its final descent into Earth’s atmosphere after 13 years of gradual orbital decay.
The satellite’s reentry, primarily influenced by solar activity, is anticipated around February 21. As the date approaches, ESA’s Space Debris Office is meticulously tracking the satellite’s trajectory, working with international partners to refine predictions.
ERS-2, along with its predecessor ERS-1, represented the pinnacle of Earth observation technology at its launch in the mid-1990s. They were equipped with state-of-the-art instruments, including an imaging synthetic aperture radar, a radar altimeter, and sensors capable of measuring ocean-surface temperature and sea winds.
“The deorbiting reduced the time that ERS-2 remained in orbit after the end of its mission from more than 100 years, to less than 15. ERS-2 is now expected to undergo atmospheric reentry and begin to break up on 21 February 2024,” ESA added.
Shambhu Kumar is a science communicator, making complex scientific topics accessible to all. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
