U.S. satellite reentering atmosphere no longer a threat to Korea

On Monday afternoon, the ministry said that the satellite had passed over the Peninsula.

The U.S. Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) [NASA]

A U.S. satellite reentering the atmosphere is no longer a threat, the Science Ministry said Monday.

On Monday morning, the Ministry of Science and ICT warned that NASA’s retired Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) was to reenter Earth’s atmosphere at around 12:20 p.m. to 1:20 p.m. in the regions around the Korean Peninsula.

Most of the satellite was expected to burn up at high altitudes.

On Monday afternoon, the ministry said that the satellite had passed over the Peninsula, without specifying whether that meant it had burned up over Korea or had come down elsewhere.

No damage has been reported.

Further details on the 5,400-pound spacecraft’s travel down to the Earth will be updated by the U.S. Combined Space Operation Center.

The ERBS was launched on Oct. 5, 1984 from the Space Shuttle Challenger and completed its mission in 2005.

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]