NEW YORK (PIX11) — A 1,323-pound spacecraft is set to crash back onto Earth on Tuesday after 14 years in orbit.
The Van Allen Probe A is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere around 7:25 p.m. on Tuesday, with a possibility of it being delayed by 24 hours or less, according to NASA scientists.
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Despite the crash landing, researchers say the possibility of harm is 1 in 4,200 as most of the spacecraft is expected to burn up as it travels through the atmosphere. Some components, however, are expected to survive re-entry.
The Van Allen Probe A flew through the Van Allan belts between 2012 and 2019 to understand how charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetic field were gained and lost.
The Van Allan belts shield Earth from cosmic radiation, solar storms and the constantly streaming solar wind that are harmful to humans and can damage technology, NASA scientists say.
Findings from the mission are expected to help in predicting how solar activity can impact satellites, astronauts, and even systems on Earth, such as communications, navigation, and power grids.
Van Allen Probe B, the twin of Probe A, is not expected to re-enter Earth before 2030. NASA and Space Force will continue to monitor the re-entry of Probe A and update predictions.
Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.
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