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International Space Station Object Nearing Earth’s Atmosphere
A substantial nearly 3-ton object, known as Exposed Pallet 9 (EP9), that was released from the International Space Station in March 2021 is currently on course towards reentering Earth’s atmosphere. The monumental jettisoning of EP9 marked it as the largest object to ever be tossed overboard from the ISS. The practice of discarding used or unnecessary equipment in this manner is routine aboard the space station, as these items typically disintegrate harmlessly upon reaching Earth’s atmosphere.
Important Reentry Information Issued by Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief
The Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief, National Warning Center 1 in Bonn, Germany, has released pertinent information ahead of EP9’s reentry. The warning states that, between midday on March 8 and midday on March 9, a significant space object, likely the battery packs from the ISS, is anticipated to return to Earth’s atmosphere, possibly breaking apart in the process. Luminous phenomena or a sonic boom could be observed as a result of this event.
- The probability of debris reaching Germany is deemed very low
- Continued monitoring for updates on potential increased risk
Outlook and Predictions for Reentry
Astronomer Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics has shared estimations regarding the reentry of the EP9 battery. According to McDowell, the anticipated reentry window is between 7:30 a.m. ET (1230 GMT) and 3:30 a.m. ET (0830 UTC) on March 9.
Reentry of the EP-9 battery pallet jettisoned from ISS in 2021 is currently predicted (by Space Force) between 1230 UTC Mar 8 and 0830 UTC Mar 9. It will not totally burn up on reentry – about half a tonne of fragments will likely hit the Earth’s surface.March 7, 2024
Mapping Potential Reentry Tracks
Germany’s Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief has provided a map illustrating the potential trajectories of EP9’s reentry into Earth’s atmosphere. This visual aid serves to inform and track the possible paths of the battery pallet.
Observing the Object’s Journey
Satellite tracker Marco Langbroek captured footage of the battery pallet as it drifted over the Netherlands, offering valuable insight into the object’s path towards reentry.
In a very clouded sky, I nevertheless managed to capture the #ISS EP Battery that will reenter tomorrow, as a bright and fast object.From Leiden, the Netherlands, WATEC 902H2S + 1.2/50 mm pic.twitter.com/baKDfT1wWUMarch 7, 2024
Details of the EP9 Battery Pallet
The EP9 cargo encompasses old Nickel-Hydrogen batteries and holds a mass akin to that of a large SUV. NASA disclosed that EP9 is expected to descend through Earth’s atmosphere within a span of two to four years. Originally carried to the ISS via Japan’s HTV-9 (Kountori 9) on May 20, 2020, the EP9 brought along six Lithium-Ion battery Orbital Replacement Units (ORUs) to substitute the existing Nickel-Hydrogen batteries on the ISS during a scheduled astronaut spacewalk.
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