CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — An old Earth observation satellite fell out of orbit Wednesday and disintegrated harmlessly over the Pacific Ocean.
Europe’s Remote Sensing 2 satellite re-entered midway between Hawaii and Alaska. The European Space Agency confirmed the disappearance of the 5,000-pound (2,300-kilogram) spacecraft known as ERS-2.
No damage or injuries were reported. Experts had predicted that most of the satellite would burn up.
The spacecraft was launched in 1995 and retired in 2011. Flight controllers quickly lowered the orbit to avoid collisions with other satellites and used up all the fuel, allowing natural orbital decay to take care of the rest. The incursion was uncontrolled and its exact location could not be predicted.
“Gone, but not forgotten,” ESA said on X (formerly Twitter). “ERS-2 left behind an incredible legacy of data that continues to advance science today.”
Its predecessor, ERS-1, failed decades ago and ceased operation, but it is still in orbit.
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Marcia Dunn, Associated Press
