A NASA research satellite weighing roughly 1,300 pounds is falling back to Earth after more than a decade in orbit. The spacecraft is known as Van Allen Probe A, one of two satellites launched by NASA in 2012 to study Earth’s radiation belts. Engineers expected the spacecraft to remain in orbit for years, gathering data about charged particles trapped in Earth’s magnetic field. Now the mission has ended, and gravity started doing its thing.
The spacecraft weighs a bit over 1,300 pounds, which places it among the larger objects expected to reenter Earth’s atmosphere in an uncontrolled descent. Most of the structure will burn up during reentry, although some components could survive the intense heat and fall to the surface. NASA engineers believe the risk of injury remains extremely low, though the spacecraft’s exact landing can’t be predicted with precision.
The mission began Aug. 30, 2012, when NASA launched the Van Allen Probes from Cape Canaveral aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The project operated under NASA’s Heliophysics Division, which studies the interaction between the Sun and Earth’s magnetic environment. Scientists used the satellites to measure energetic particles surrounding Earth and to understand how solar storms influence radiation levels in space. The research helped engineers design better shielding for satellites and spacecraft.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson oversees the agency that manages missions like the Van Allen Probes. Tracking the satellite’s return now involves coordination with the U.S. Space Force, which monitors objects in orbit through U.S. Space Command, led by General Stephen Whiting. The Space Command is responsible for monitoring thousands of objects circling Earth. Military tracking systems continuously calculate the spacecraft’s altitude, speed, and predicted reentry window.
Most spacecraft eventually return to Earth through atmospheric drag. Over time, friction from the thin upper atmosphere slows satellites until gravity pulls them downward. Engineers sometimes guide large spacecraft toward a specific location during reentry called Point Nemo, which sits about 1,670 miles from the nearest land, making it one of the most isolated places on Earth. Space agencies use the area as a controlled disposal zone for aging spacecraft.
Related: Point Nemo and the Final Journey of the ISS
Several major spacecraft have ended their missions there, including Russia’s Mir space station since 2001. The site has also received dozens of cargo spacecraft sent there intentionally by international space agencies. NASA plans to use the same region when the International Space Station eventually reaches the end of its operational life. Controlled reentry toward Point Nemo allows engineers to reduce risk to populated areas.
The Van Allen Probe A mission didn’t involve a controlled descent to the spacecraft cemetery. Instead, the satellite remained in orbit long enough for atmospheric drag to bring it down naturally. Most of the vehicle should burn up during reentry. Any surviving debris would fall into ocean regions that cover most of the planet’s surface.
The falling satellite also highlights a broader challenge facing modern space programs. Tens of thousands of pieces of debris now orbit Earth; some fragments come from retired satellites, while others come from past collisions. NASA operates an Orbital Debris Program Office at the Johnson Space Center to study the problem and develop strategies to reduce space junk.
Every satellite eventually reaches the end of its mission, and engineers must decide whether to move the spacecraft into a disposal orbit, guide it toward Point Nemo, or allow atmospheric drag to finish the job. The return of the Van Allen Probe A serves as a reminder that every object launched into space eventually comes home.
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