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NASA's Van Allen Probe A is falling to Earth much sooner than expected, though the spacecraft's reentry poses a low risk to humans.
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An illustration of NASA's twin Van Allen Probes orbiting Earth.
(Image credit: JHU/APL, NASA)
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Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletterA heavy space probe is falling to Earth today (March 10), eight years earlier than expected, according to NASA.
The 1,300-pound (600 kilograms) Van Allen Probe A should mostly burn up as it enters Earth's atmosphere, but some components are expected to remain intact. The spacecraft poses a low risk to humans, with a 1-in-4,200 chance of it causing harm, NASA said in a statement released Monday (March 9).
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Intense solar activity is forcing the probe down much earlier than initially forecast. When the spacecraft ran out of fuel in 2019, NASA predicted it would remain in orbit until 2034. However, that was before the sun entered its current solar cycle in late 2019, and that cycle has been much more active — and peaked sooner — than scientists expected.
The sun's roughly 11-year cycle peaks with an explosive period of activity known as solar maximum, which triggers more intense space weather events. These events created more atmospheric drag for the fuelless Van Allen Probe A, pulling it out of orbit.
Van Allen Probe A is one of two Van Allen Probes that have been in space for almost 14 years. NASA launched the satellites in 2012 to study Earth's two permanent radiation belts, which were named after American physicist James Van Allen.
The radiation belts are made up of charged particles trapped by Earth's magnetic field. They essentially act as natural shields, protecting Earth from cosmic radiation, solar storms and solar wind.
Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter nowContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Related:—NASA fixes Artemis II rocket for April launch to take astronauts around moon
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The Van Allen Probes were designed for a two-year mission but ended up lasting around seven years. The mission eventually ended in 2019, when the probes ran out of fuel. Van Allen Probe A's twin, Van Allen Probe B, is expected to stay in space until 2030, according to NASA.
The probes made a series of scientific discoveries during their tenure. For example, the spacecraft found that electrons in the radiation belts can be accelerated to near light speed by surfing on waves of plasma ejected from the sun. They also detected a third radiation belt that forms only during periods of intense solar activity.
TOPICS NASA solar maximum
Patrick PesterSocial Links NavigationTrending News WriterPatrick Pester is the trending news writer at Live Science. His work has appeared on other science websites, such as BBC Science Focus and Scientific American. Patrick retrained as a journalist after spending his early career working in zoos and wildlife conservation. He was awarded the Master's Excellence Scholarship to study at Cardiff University where he completed a master's degree in international journalism. He also has a second master's degree in biodiversity, evolution and conservation in action from Middlesex University London. When he isn't writing news, Patrick investigates the sale of human remains.
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