A spacecraft from the landmark mission of NASA has officially completed its final journey. One of the twin probes from the Van Allen Probes mission re-entered Earth’s atmosphere after nearly 14 years in space around 06:37 EDT (10:37 GMT) The re-entry occurred over the eastern Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, according to the United States Space Force.

Weighing more than 1,300 pounds (600 kg), the probe mostly burned up while passing through the atmosphere, though small fragments may have survived. Officials noted that the chances of any person being harmed were extremely low.

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Van Allen probe’s final return to earth

The spacecraft, launched in 2012 as part of the Van Allen Probes mission, was designed to study the intense radiation environment surrounding Earth. Its re-entry took place around 06:37 EDT (10:37 GMT) over the eastern Pacific region.

Tracking data from the United States Space Force confirmed the spacecraft’s descent roughly 12 hours later than initial predictions, though it remained within the expected margin of error. Scientists had anticipated that most of the spacecraft would disintegrate due to extreme heat and friction during atmospheric entry.

A mission that brought a new change in space science

The twin spacecraft called Van Allen Probe A and Van Allen Probe B were sent to study about the mysterious Van Allen radiation belts around Earth. These belts are layers of high-energy particles held by Earth’s magnetic field. They help protect our planet from harmful cosmic radiation and powerful solar storms.

During almost seven years of operation, the mission made important discoveries. One of the biggest findings was a temporary third radiation belt that appears when solar activity becomes very strong. The probes stopped working in 2019 after they ran out of fuel and could no longer point toward the Sun to generate power.

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Now, one spacecraft has already returned to Earth’s atmosphere, while Van Allen Probe B is still orbiting the planet and is expected to re-enter the atmosphere sometime after 2030. The data collected from the mission continues to help scientists understand space weather and protect satellites, astronauts and technology from dangerous cosmic radiation.