Van Allen Probe A Set for Early Atmospheric Reentry

NASA's Van Allen Probe A, a spacecraft that studied Earth's radiation belts for nearly seven years, is set to reenter the atmosphere on March 10, 2024, about eight years earlier than originally predicted. The 600-kilogram probe, launched in 2012, is expected to plunge back to Earth around 7:45 p.m. Eastern Time, though predictions carry a 24-hour uncertainty window, according to the U.S. Space Force.

The reentry stems from heightened solar activity that has accelerated the spacecraft's orbital decay. When the mission ended in 2019 due to depleted fuel, projections placed the probe's return in 2034. However, the sun reached its solar maximum in 2024, earlier and more intensely than anticipated, triggering space weather events that expanded Earth's upper atmosphere. This increased drag on the low-orbiting satellite, causing it to lose altitude faster than expected. "These conditions increased atmospheric drag on the spacecraft beyond initial estimates, resulting in an earlier-than-expected reentry," NASA stated in an update.

Designed for a two-year lifespan, Van Allen Probe A and its twin, Probe B, far exceeded expectations after launching on August 30, 2012. The pair orbited...