According to the European Space Agency (ESA), a dead satellite called European Remote Sensing 2 (ERS-2), which was launched in 1995 and retired in 2011, is expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere on Wednesday. The ESA has predicted that the satellite will break into pieces at about 50 miles above the Earth's surface around 11:32 a.m. ET on Wednesday, give or take 4 and a half hours.

The largest fragment that could reach the ground is estimated to weigh about 115 pounds, out of the whole satellite's mass of roughly 5,000 pounds. The space agency noted that most of the debris will burn up in the atmosphere, with any remaining fragments likely falling into the ocean. The odds of any debris hitting someone are incredibly small, with an estimated chance of one in a billion.

ERS-2, along with its companion satellite ERS-1, collected crucial information on climate change and Earth's atmosphere using advanced sensors during its 16-year lifespan. The decommissioned ERS-2 was maneuvered from an orbit of about 490 miles down to 360 miles above Earth in 2011 before running out of fuel and batteries.

The ESA aimed to gradually bring down the satellite to prevent it from contributing to the growing issue of orbital space junk. The statement from the ESA highlighted that an average object of similar mass to ERS-2 reenters the Earth's atmosphere every one to two weeks, emphasizing the importance of managing space debris to prevent potential risks.