Satellite Size of a Small Car Expected to Crash into Earth within Weeks. All You Need to Know – News18

A defunct spacecraft, Aeolus, which is the size of a small car is expected to crash into Earth within weeks, the European Space Agency (ESA) said. The ESA said that its 1.3-tonne Aeolus satellite is running out of fuel and is falling towards earth at the rate of 1 km a day.

Much of Aeolus will burn up in the atmosphere but some debris will likely reach the Earth’s surface towards the end of July or early August.

The ESA will also try to steer the spacecraft towards a remote part of the planet using the remaining fuel inside the satellite. This will be the first time that the ESA will make such an attempt.

“This assisted re-entry attempt goes above and beyond safety regulations for the mission, which was planned and designed in the late 1990s. Once ESA and industrial partners found that it might be possible to further reduce the already minimal risk to life or infrastructure, the wheels were set in motion,” Tim Flohrer, head of ESA’s Space Debris Office, was quoted as saying by Sky News.

Satellite Aeolus orbited Earth at an altitude of 320 kms for five years. Aeolus measured wind in the atmosphere to improve weather forecasts, the report said.

However, its fuel is almost spent and due to Earth’s gravity and solar activity along with the Earth’s atmosphere is dragging the spacecraft downwards.

After Aeolus reaches an altitude of 280 kms the mission control in Germany will start a series of manoeuvres over several days and make it descend to a lower orbit of 150 kms. The Sky News report said that one last change in trajectory will put Aeolus on course to plunge into the ocean, far from land and residential areas.

The ESA highlighted that it is not possible to share an exact timing for the spacecraft’s re-entry.