Old European satellite plunges over the Pacific

The ERS-2 satellite prior to its launch in 1995. File pic/X

An old Earth-observing satellite fell out of orbit Wednesday and harmlessly broke apart over the Pacific. The European Remote Sensing 2 (ERS-2) satellite reentered halfway between Hawaii and Alaska. The European Space Agency confirmed the demise of the 2,300-kg spacecraft. No damage or injuries were reported. Experts had expected most of the satellite to burn up.

Launched in 1995, the spacecraft was retired in 2011. Flight controllers quickly lowered its orbit to avoid hitting other satellites, using up all the fuel, and natural orbital decay took care of the rest. ESA said ERS-2 data still continues to advance science. Its predecessor, ERS-1, which failed and stopped working decades ago, remains in orbit.

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