NASA's 1,300-pound satellite to crash down to Earth after 14 years

A NASA spacecraft, a roughly 1,323-pound spacecraft launched in August 2012, is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere on March 10 (India time March 11). The US Space Force projected re-entry with an uncertainty of plus or minus 24 hours. The re-entry is uncontrolled, meaning engineers cannot steer where it falls.

A mission to map Earth's radiation belts

The Van Allen Probes A and B were designed to study Earth's Van Allen belts — rings of charged particles trapped by Earth's magnetic field. The belts shield the planet from cosmic radiation, solar storms, and solar wind that are harmful to humans and can damage technology. Originally planned as a two-year mission, the probes gathered data for nearly seven years before running out of fuel in 2019.

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According to NASA, the mission made several significant discoveries, including the first evidence of a transient third radiation belt that forms during intense solar activity. Data from the mission continues to help scientists predict how solar activity affects satellites, astronauts, and systems such as communications, navigation, and power grids.

Should anyone be worried?

NASA says most of the spacecraft will burn up as it passes through the atmosphere, though some components are expected to survive re-entry. The risk of harm to anyone on Earth is approximately 1 in 4,200, considered very low by the agency.

Satellite falls are not uncommon

Defunct satellites and rocket debris re-enter Earth's atmosphere regularly and rarely cause harm. Van Allen Probe B, the twin spacecraft, is not expected to re-enter before 2030.