Decommissioned ERS-2 Will Reenter Uncontrolled in 15 Years

ERS-2 satellite before launch (Credits: ESA).

The ERS-2 remote sensing satellite has been successfully decommissioned at the end of a 16 years long mission on September 5, 2011. The final maneuver, which depleted the remaining fuel, lowered the satellite altitude from from 785 km to about 573 km, an orbit where the risk of collision with other satellites or space debris is greatly reduced. The satellite has been “passivated” by emptying bateries and pressurized systems in order to prevent explosions that could create further space debris. Finally, the transmitters have been switched off, and the batteries have been disconnected.

Given the current altitude, and taking into consideration the effects of atmospheric drag, the giant ESA satellite is expected to reenter the atmosphere in about 15 years, well within the 25 years limit recommended ESA’s space debris mitigation requirements. You can track the satellite in real time at n2yo.com.

This view of Little Nicobar Island is part of a multitemporal composite of an ERS-1 SAR radar image acquired 21 December 1992 and ERS-2 image acquired 12 January 2005. The image is used to highlight the massive damage done to the west coasts of the Nicobar Islands during the December 2004 tsunami disaster, seen here in red. (Credits: ESA).