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After a remarkable 16 years of observing the Earth, the European remote sensing satellite ERS-2 is ready to make its final descent into the Earth’s atmosphere after 13 years of gradual orbital decay.
Launched in 1995 as a successor to ERS-1, ERS-2 has been instrumental in transforming our understanding of the planet and the effects of climate change.
The European Space Agency (ESA) retired ERS-2 in 2011, initiating a controlled deorbitation process to comply with space debris mitigation strategies.
The satellite’s re-entry, influenced primarily by solar activity, is planned for mid-February 2024. As the date approaches, ESA’s Space Debris Office is meticulously monitoring the satellite’s trajectory, working with international partners to refine predictions.
ERS-2, along with its predecessor ERS-1, represented the pinnacle of Earth observation technology at its launch in the mid-1990s. They were equipped with state-of-the-art instruments, including a synthetic aperture imaging radar. , a radar altimeter and sensors capable of measuring ocean surface temperature and offshore winds.
The ERS-2 also had an additional sensor to measure atmospheric ozone.
Throughout its operational life, ERS-2 played a crucial role in tracking and documenting significant environmental changes. It provided invaluable data on shrinking polar ice caps, alterations to land surfaces, rising sea levels, warming oceans, and changes in atmospheric chemistry.
The satellite was also instrumental in disaster management, providing critical information during severe floods and earthquakes in isolated regions.
ERS-2’s legacy extends beyond its own mission. The technologies she pioneered laid the foundation for later missions, such as the Envisat mission, the MetOp weather satellites, the Earth Explorer scientific research missions, and the Copernicus Sentinels.
The European Space Agency said these successors continue to benefit from the pioneering instruments first carried by ERS-2, such as the radar technology that evolved into the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission radar, the legacy of the radar altimeter found on the CryoSat mission and the radiometer that is still alive on the Copernicus Sentinel-3.
The satellite’s imminent re-entry marks the end of an era, but also serves as a reminder of the ongoing need to manage space debris and ensure the sustainability of future space efforts.