An unprecedented maneuver to return an artificial satellite to Earth
Space maneuvers are being directed towards a very specific area on Earth, Point Nemo, in the South Pacific Ocean (AFP)
The European Space Agency removed it from orbit after its mission ended and prevented debris from falling
The European satellite "Aeolus" returned to Earth "successfully" after completing its space mission in orbit, as part of an unprecedented maneuver aimed at reducing the risks of satellite debris falling to the Earth's surface, the European Space Agency announced today, Saturday .
This Earth observation satellite, launched in 2018 to monitor the winds, penetrated the atmosphere in a controlled manner after several days of maneuvers aimed at lowering its orbit.
Aeolus, which weighs a little more than one ton, and was operating at an altitude of 320 km, gradually descended to a height of 120 km, then penetrated the atmosphere, where it crashed during the period from yesterday night Friday to this morning.
Speaking to Agence France-Presse, Benjamin Bastida, the engineer in charge of space debris at the European Space Agency, said, "Aeolus succeeded in entering the trajectory we were setting over Antarctica, where the world's smallest population lives."
Controlled auxiliary maneuvers in the atmosphere are common on modern satellites. As they approach the end of their work, they are removed from their orbit and directed toward a very specific region on Earth: Point Nemo in the South Pacific Ocean.
Aeolus was designed in the late 1990s and "didn't have enough thrust" to fully control its fall and target point, Bastida said.
At an altitude of 120 kilometers, the moon landing process was not fully controlled, as there were fears and dangers that its debris, specifically what does not burn in the atmosphere, would cause damage to the Earth.
Although this risk is limited, ESA wanted to reduce it "as much as possible" in order to "demonstrate its commitment to debris-neutral missions", which is the agency's goal for 2030.
Bastida pointed out that the radars were unable to detect whether an amount of "Aeolus" debris had entered the atmosphere, pointing out that if the moon had not been removed from its orbit, it would have fallen naturally within two or three months in an uncontrollable manner.
Dominique Guilleron, director of scientific programs for Earth observations at the European Space Agency, confirmed that the mission was "pioneering" in measuring winds and contributed to "improving weather forecasts."
A second mission is being prepared for the European satellite, Aeolus.
Source: websites