英文外刊阅读 A 5,000-pound satellite is expected to fall to Earth this week

A 5,000-pound satellite is expected to fall to Earth this week

By Ashley Strickland, CNN

Published 6:21 PM EST, Mon February 19, 2024

An illustration showing the ERS-2

CNN —

A European Space Agency satellite is expected to reenter and largely burn up in Earth’s atmosphere on Wednesday morning.

The agency’s Space Debris Office, along with an international surveillance network, is monitoring and tracking the Earth-observing ERS-2 satellite, which is predicted to make its reentry at 6:14 a.m. ET Wednesday, with a 15-hour window of uncertainty. The ESA is also providing live updates on its website.

“As the spacecraft’s reentry is ‘natural’, without the possibility to perform manoeuvers, it is impossible to know exactly where and when it will reenter the atmosphere and begin to burn up,” according to a statement from the agency.

The exact time of the satellite’s reentry remains unclear due to the unpredictability of solar activity, which can change the density of Earth’s atmosphere and how the atmosphere tugs on the satellite. As the sun nears its 11-year cycle’s peak, known as solar maximum, solar activity has been ramping up. Solar maximum is expected to occur later this year.

The sun’s increased activity already had an impact on speeding up the reentry of the ESA’s Aeolus satellite in July 2023.

The ERS-2 satellite has an estimated mass of 5,057 pounds (2,294 kilograms) after depleting its fuel, making it similar in size to other space debris that reenters Earth’s atmosphere every week or so, according to the agency.

At around 50 miles (80 kilometers) above Earth’s surface, the satellite is expected to break apart and the majority of the fragments will burn up in the atmosphere. The agency said that some fragments could reach the planet’s surface, but they won’t contain any harmful substances and will most likely fall into the ocean.

A 5,000-pound satellite is expected to fall to Earth this week

一颗5000磅重的卫星预计将于本周坠落地球

A European Space Agency satellite is expected to reenter and largely burn up in Earth’s atmosphere on Wednesday morning.

欧洲航天局的一颗卫星预计将于周三上午重新进入地球大气层，然后基本燃烧殆尽。

The agency’s Space Debris Office, along with an international surveillance network, is monitoring and tracking the Earth-observing ERS-2 satellite, which is predicted to make its reentry at 6:14 a.m. ET Wednesday, with a 15-hour window of uncertainty. The ESA is also providing live updates on its website.

该航天局的空间碎片办公室和一个国际监测网络正在监测和跟踪这颗地球观测ERS-2卫星，预计该卫星将于美国东部时间周三上午6:14返回大气层，有15个小时的误差范围。欧空局还会在其网站上提供实况更新。

“As the spacecraft’s reentry is ‘natural’, without the possibility to perform manoeuvers, it is impossible to know exactly where and when it will reenter the atmosphere and begin to burn up,” according to a statement from the agency.

“由于该航天器再次进入大气层是‘自然’发生的，不可能对其操作，不可能确切知道它将在何时何地重返大气层并开始燃烧”，航天局在一份声明中称。

The exact time of the satellite’s reentry remains unclear due to the unpredictability of solar activity, which can change the density of Earth’s atmosphere and how the atmosphere tugs on the satellite. As the sun nears its 11-year cycle’s peak, known as solar maximum, solar activity has been ramping up. Solar maximum is expected to occur later this year.

由于太阳活动的不可预测性，卫星返回大气层的确切时间尚不清楚，太阳活动会改变地球大气层的密度以及大气层如何牵引卫星。因为太阳正处在接近其11年周期的峰值期间，即所谓的太阳活动高峰，太阳活动一直在增强。预计今年晚些时候将出现太阳活动峰值。

The sun’s increased activity already had an impact on speeding up the reentry of the ESA’s Aeolus satellite in July 2023.

2023年7月，太阳活动的增强已经对加快欧空局Aeolus卫星的再入大气层产生了影响。

The ERS-2 satellite has an estimated mass of 5,057 pounds (2,294 kilograms) after depleting its fuel, making it similar in size to other space debris that reenters Earth’s atmosphere every week or so, according to the agency.

据该机构称，ERS-2卫星在耗尽燃料后的质量估计为5057磅（2294公斤），与大约每周重新进入地球大气层的其他空间碎片大小相似。

At around 50 miles (80 kilometers) above Earth’s surface, the satellite is expected to break apart and the majority of the fragments will burn up in the atmosphere. The agency said that some fragments could reach the planet’s surface, but they won’t contain any harmful substances and will most likely fall into the ocean.

在地球表面上方约50英里（80公里）处，卫星预计将分裂，大部分碎片将在大气层中燃烧殆尽。该机构表示，一些碎片可能会到达地球表面，但它们不会含有任何有害物质，而且大概率会落入海洋中。