This sounds exactly like a plot from a sci-fi flick, but it's actually happening today. A massive NASA satellite weighing some 1,300 pounds is rapidly on its way back to Earth, perhaps sometime today. The huge airborne object, known as Van Allen Probe A, is racing toward this planet. Its exact path and the place where it will land are still not entirely clear, per the Daily Mail. The satellite has inhabited the heavens for 14 years, according to the outlet. It is now completing "an uncontrolled plunge through the atmosphere on Tuesday [March 10]...."
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The renowned space agency is very much aware of the situation. NASA's reported estimate is that the satellite "will reenter the atmosphere at around 7.45pm EDT on March 10, 2026...." However, that forecast could potentially be off by as much as an entire day.
Should People on Earth Be Worried?
Could debris from the returning satellite damage rain down on anything here? Or potentially harm anyone?
That is not considered very likely, even though some concern is understandable, given the unfolding scenario. It probably will largely burn up upon its re-entry. A NASA press release states that "The risk of harm coming to anyone on Earth is low — approximately 1 in 4,200. NASA and Space Force will continue to monitor the re-entry and update predictions."
There is an overwhelming likelihood that the satellite will plunge directly into a body of water. Much of the Earth - roughly 70 percent - is occupied by oceans and seas, not land masses.
The Solar Cycle Had an Effect Upon the Satellite's Timetable
The satellite launched back in 2012. It concluded its mission in 2019, per NASA. Experts predicted that the satellite would not head for Earth for another eight years. So everyone could breathe easy until 2034, right?
But nature can be fickle and hard to precisely pin down. That anticipated timetable was upended two years ago, according to the space agency, because the sun sparked "intense space weather," hastening the satellite's return home.
What About Van Allen Probe B?
We can relax about the satellite's twin, at least for now. NASA says, per the press release, that "Van Allen Probe B, the twin of the re-entering spacecraft, is not expected to re-enter before 2030."
