An outdated NASA satellite, which has been retired for over a decade, is scheduled to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere in the coming days.
According to NASA, the risk of any debris reaching the ground and causing harm is extremely low. Most of the 2,450-kilogram satellite is expected to burn up upon reentry, however, some fragments may survive. The chances of injury from falling debris are estimated to be 1 in 9,400. The satellite, known as ERBS or Earth Radiation Budget Satellite, was launched in 1984 aboard the space shuttle Challenger. Despite its initial two-year lifespan, it continued to take measurements of ozone and other atmospheric conditions until 2005. The satellite had also been used to study Earth's absorption and radiation of energy from the sun. The satellite was deployed from the Challenger by Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, and Kathryn Sullivan, the first American woman to perform a spacewalk, flew together in the same mission.
(from sources)