U.S. Satellite May Crash Near Korean Peninsula: Science Ministry Issues Readiness Alert

An illustration marking the trajectory of a U.S. Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) thirty minutes before (yellow line) and thirty minutes after (red line) 12:53 p.m. January 9, when the satellite is expected to crash on Earth. The thirty minutes is the margin of error in the estimated crash time. Courtesy of the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute

On January 9, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced that a U.S. Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) was falling and that there was a possibility that the defunct satellite could crash near the Korean Peninsula. The science ministry issued a “readiness” alert at 7 a.m. Monday.

The ministry explained that as of 4 a.m. Monday, according to the orbit analysis by the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, there is a strong possibility that the U.S. Earth observation satellite, the ERBS, may crash sometime between 12:20-1:20 p.m. Monday, and the Korean Peninsula was included in the expected crash area.

The Earth Radiation Budget Satellite is a large satellite weighing 2.45 tons. It was launched into space in 1984 and monitored the Earth’s heat radiation and ozone layer until 2005. It continued to circle the Earth after it completed its mission and ceased to operate in 2005.

Most of the satellite is expected to burn due to the friction when entering the Earth’s atmosphere, but some debris could survive and fall in an extensive area.

The science ministry issued a caution alert at 7 a.m. Monday and convened the space hazard response headquarters led by the first vice minister of science and ICT to prepare for any emergencies.

The science ministry plans to update citizens on the situation by sending emergency text messages before the time when the satellite is expected to fall near the Korean Peninsula. The government also advised citizens to be careful when engaging in outdoor activities during the time when the satellite is expected to crash and to keep an eye on media broadcasts.

The science ministry advised people when discovering any possible satellite components to refrain from touching the object and to immediately report it to 119.

The latest readiness (caution) alert is the highest level alert issued before a space object, such as a satellite, crashes to the ground. After the space debris crashes, the alert will be raised to “serious.”