ERS-2 Satellite Reenters Earth's Atmosphere After Nearly 29 Years in Orbit

Unexpected buckling of solar array during reentry may improve future satellite reentry forecasts.

The European Space Agency's ERS-2 satellite, launched in 1995, reentered Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean on February 21, 2024, after nearly 29 years in orbit.
Radar images captured by the Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques FHR in Germany show the satellite's solar array buckling and bending under the stress of reentry earlier than expected.
This unexpected behavior of the solar array during reentry may have implications for understanding how spacecraft interact with the atmosphere and could improve forecasts of future natural reentries.
ERS-2's reentry was a 'natural,' or uncontrolled, atmospheric reentry, highlighting the shift towards controlled reentries by space agencies to minimize the risk of debris-creating explosions in orbit.
No damage to property was reported as ERS-2 broke into pieces over the North Pacific Ocean, but the event underscores the growing issue of space debris and the importance of accurate reentry predictions.