Old European satellite plunges harmlessly through the atmosphere over the Pacific

The European Remote Sensing 2 satellite, also known as ERS-2, fell out of orbit and broke apart over the Pacific, reentering halfway between Hawaii and Alaska. Launched in 1995 and retired in 2011, the 2,300-kilogram spacecraft had a controlled descent to avoid collisions with other satellites, using up all its fuel. Its final entry was uncontrolled, and experts anticipated most of it to burn up. No damage or injuries were reported, and the European Space Agency (ESA) noted ERS-2’s significant contributions to advancing scientific research through its data legacy. The predecessor, ERS-1, which ceased functioning decades ago, remains in orbit.

Source – CGTN