A HUGE satellite is expected to crash back to Earth later today as scientists try to control its re-entry.
The European Space Agency’s Aeolus satellite has been on a mission to map Earth’s winds since 2018.
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It’s now almost out of fuel and was initially supposed to fall back to Earth naturally.
The satellite is technically not designed for a controlled re-entry so scientists have had to try an unprecedented move with what little fuel is left.
The plan was for the satellite to reach 93 miles above Earth and then the controlled entry would begin.
It’s hoped the satellite will enter somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean.
Then, it should burn up while re-entering Earth’s atmosphere.
So far, things seem to be going to plan.
The ESA released an update at 8 am ET which said: “The very last commands have been beamed up to Aeolus. “OD-SOM, all commands are onboard as planned”, reported the Spacecraft Operations Manager Viet Duc Tran to Flight Director Isabel Rojo.
“It was an understated sentence, for a big moment at the end of this mission.”
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It added at 9:57 am ET: “And now, the very last words have been sent up to Aeolus, the last time it will hear the voice of ESA mission control, Earth’s final farewell.
“What were they? Your standard ‘house keeping’ data dumps.
“After all the drama of today, the last words Aeolus heard from Earth is the same as what it heard every of its five years in orbit – a little ping, a little check in, and soon its on its own.”
Even though the satellite is expected to burn up, there could still be some debris.
The risk of this hurting anyone is extremely low.
You’re more likely to be hit by a meteorite than falling space debris.
