Old NASA Science Satellite Plunges Back to Earth

The Van Allen Probe A spacecraft reentered over the Pacific Ocean after years in orbit.

Published on Mar. 12, 2026

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An old NASA science satellite, the Van Allen Probe A, plunged uncontrolled from orbit and reentered the Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday. The 1,323-pound spacecraft was launched in 2012 to study the Van Allen radiation belts surrounding the Earth, but ceased operations in 2019 after running out of fuel.

Why it matters

The reentry of the Van Allen Probe A marks the end of a successful NASA mission that provided valuable data about the Earth's radiation belts. While the risk of bodily harm from the satellite's reentry was low, uncontrolled reentries of spacecraft can raise concerns about public safety and the management of space debris.

The details

The U.S. Space Force reported that the Van Allen Probe A reentered the atmosphere west of the Galapagos Islands. NASA expected some parts of the spacecraft to survive the reentry, with most of it burning up in the atmosphere. The satellite's twin, the Van Allen Probe B, is still orbiting Earth but is no longer functioning. The intense solar activity over the past few years hastened the reentry of the A probe, which was originally expected to remain in orbit until 2034.

  • The Van Allen Probe A reentered the Earth's atmosphere on Wednesday, March 12, 2026.
  • The Van Allen Probe A and its twin, the Van Allen Probe B, were launched in 2012 and operated for 7 years before ceasing operations in 2019.

The players

Van Allen Probe A

A NASA science satellite that was launched in 2012 to study the Earth's radiation belts, known as the Van Allen belts.

Van Allen Probe B

The twin satellite to the Van Allen Probe A, which is still orbiting the Earth but is no longer functioning.

NASA

The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the government agency responsible for the Van Allen Probe mission.

U.S. Space Force

The space warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces, which reported on the reentry of the Van Allen Probe A.

Marco Langbroek

A Dutch scientist who commented on the difficulty of predicting the reentry of the Van Allen Probe A due to its eccentric, lopsided orbit.

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What they’re saying

“All re-entries are difficult to predict, but this one was especially challenging given its eccentric, lopsided orbit.”

— Marco Langbroek, Dutch scientist

What’s next

NASA's remaining Van Allen Probe B spacecraft is not expected to reenter the Earth's atmosphere until around 2030, according to the agency.

The takeaway

The reentry of the Van Allen Probe A marks the end of a successful NASA mission that provided valuable data about the Earth's radiation belts, but also highlights the challenges of managing space debris and uncontrolled spacecraft reentries.