NASA Van Allen Probe A Re-entry

United States===NASA's Van Allen Probe A, a 1,323-pound spacecraft launched in August 2012, is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, around 7:45 p.m. EDT, with a 24-hour margin of error. The United States===United States Space Force is assisting with tracking and predictions. Most of the spacecraft is anticipated to burn up during re-entry, with a low risk of harm to anyone on Earth (approximately 1-in-4,200 odds). The probe, along with its twin Van Allen Probe B, spent nearly seven years collecting data on Earth's radiation belts, making significant discoveries. The mission, managed by Applied Physics Laboratory, was originally planned for two years but extended due to its success. The re-entry timeline was accelerated from an initial 2034 estimate due to a more active-than-anticipated solar cycle in 2024, which increased atmospheric drag. Van Allen Probe B is not expected to re-enter until at least 2030.