A 1,300-pound NASA spacecraft to re-enter Earth's atmosphere

Nasa spacecraft weighing 1,300lb re-enters Earth's atmosphere Skip to content Home News Sport Business Technology Health Culture Arts Travel Earth Audio Video Live Weather Newsletters Nasa spacecraft weighing 1,300lb re-enters Earth's atmosphere 1 day ago Share Save Sareen Habeshian Share Save Getty Images The two Van Allen Probes were launched in 2012 The Van Allen Probe spacecraft weighing more than 1,300lb (600kg) has re-entered Earth's atmosphere, almost 14 years after its launch. The US Space Force confirmed the probe's re-entry on Wednesday over the Eastern Pacific region around 06:37 EDT (10:37 GMT), roughly 12 hours later than originally predicted but within the expected margin of error. Most of the probe, which launched in 2012, was expected to burn up as it travelled through the atmosphere, though some components may have survived. The space agency said there was a one in 4,200 chance of a piece of the probe causing harm to a person on Earth, which it characterised as "low" risk. Nasa announces change to its Moon landing plans The spacecraft and its twin, Van Allen Probe B, were on a mission to gather unprecedented data on Earth's two permanent radiation belts. The mission, which was originally designed to last two years, went on for almost seven. It ended after the spacecrafts ran out of fuel and were no longer able to orient themselves toward the Sun. The probes flew through rings of charged particles trapped by Earth's magnetic field from 2012 to 2019, in order to study how particles were gained and lost, per Nasa. Those rings, called the Van Allen belts, shield Earth from cosmic radiation, solar storms and streaming solar wind, which are harmful to humans and can damage technology. The mission made significant discoveries, including the first data that show the existence of a transient third radiation belt, which can form during times of intense solar activity, Nasa said. Van Allen Probe B is not expected to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere before 2030. Earth Nasa Space exploration US Space Force Space Related The Alps lost its vultures - then it got them back Listen to the sound of stone-age The whale graveyards that transform the deep sea More from the BBC 15 hrs ago Artemis II: Nasa targets early April for Moon mission Nasa says technical problems that have delayed the rocket are fixed and it is ready for launch. 15 hrs ago 3 days ago University joins UK's £17bn space sector The Southampton Space Institute will use expertise and facilities for education and jobs creation. 3 days ago 5 days ago Being an Essex girl never held me back, says spacecraft engineer "I don't think stereotypes like that have ever bothered me," says 36-year-old Sian Cleaver. 5 days ago 6 days ago Tim Peake leaves scouts starry-eyed at hut opening Peake was the first Briton to set foot on the International Space Station. 6 days ago 27 Feb 2026 Nasa announces change to its Moon landing plans It is adding an extra mission to its Artemis programme before landing astronauts on the Moon. 27 Feb 2026