Science TechnologyFriday, 13 March 2026·The Hindu
NASA’s Van Allen Probe A re-entered atmosphere on 11 March 2026 after nearly 14 years
Van Allen Probe A re-entered Earth’s atmosphere on 11 March 2026 after a mission launched in 2012.
Key highlights
Direct fact
On March 11, 2026, NASA’s Van Allen Probe A re-entered Earth’s atmosphere nearly 14 years after its launch on August 30, 2012.
Key specifics
- The Van Allen Probes A and B were launched on August 30, 2012 for an originally planned two-year mission.
- The mission was managed and operated by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab.
- The probes studied the Van Allen belts, which are rings of charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetic field.
- A major discovery was the transient third radiation belt that appears during intense solar activity.
- The U.S. Space Force said the re-entry occurred over the eastern Pacific Ocean near 2 degrees south latitude and 255.3 degrees east longitude.
Exam lens
TNPSC may ask: science and technology, space mission, launch date 30 August 2012, re-entry date 11 March 2026, Johns Hopkins APL. One-liner: The Van Allen mission improved understanding of radiation belts and space weather impacts.