Washington: NASA’s 38-year-old Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) is expected to enter the Earth’s atmosphere on January 8 and crash into the Earth. NASA has informed about this a few days ago. The ERBS, which has been in space for almost four decades, was operational for the first 21 years. The mission of this NASA satellite was to study how the Earth absorbs and radiates the Sun’s energy (light). It also measured the amount of ozone vapor and water vapor, nitrogen dioxide and aerosols in the stratosphere.
The 5,400-pound (1 pound = 453.6 grams) artificial satellite will re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere at 6:40 p.m. (EST) on Sunday, the US Department of Defense announced on January 5. However, at this time 17 hours can be less or more, NASA said. So this satellite will fall on earth on Sunday or Monday. NASA and the United States Department of Defense are continuously monitoring it and reporting from time to time.
After entering the atmosphere, much of it can be destroyed by fire due to friction with the air. Then its large and heavy parts may fall and fall on the earth. It can cause damage to any house or settlement it falls on. However, the probability of harm is very low, NASA scientists said. On October 5, 1984, the NASA satellite was launched into space. It remained operational for an incredibly long 21 years.