New Delhi: The European Space Agency's (ESA) Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) satellite has completed its mission and is re-entering the Earth's atmosphere. The only catch is that scientists are not sure where the one-ton spacecraft's fragments will collide with the Earth's surface and exactly when.
ESA says that while most of GOCE will disintegrate in the atmosphere, several parts might reach Earth's surface. When and where these parts might land cannot yet be predicted, but taking into account that two thirds of Earth are covered by oceans and vast areas are thinly populated, the danger to life or property is very low.
About 40 tonnes of manmade space debris reach the ground per year, but the spread and size mean the risk of an individual being struck is lower than being hit by a meteorite, says ESA.
In mid-October the GOCE ran out of fuel after completing its mission and the satellite began its descent towards Earth from a height of about 224 km. On November 4 was at an an altitude of roughly 192 km.
Because of its sleek, aerodynamic design the satellite was dubbed the 'Ferrari of space'. The GOCE has mapped variations in Earth's gravity with extreme detail and data sent by it was used to create the first global high-resolution map of the boundary between Earth's crust and mantle - called the Moho.
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