Updated: Thu, Jan 31, 2002, 9:33 PM ET (0233 GMT)
Originally Posted: Thu, Jan 31, 2002, 8:52 AM ET (1352 GMT)
The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) spacecraft came back to Earth over central Egypt Wednesday night, according to NASA reports Thursday. According to a space agency press release Thursday EUVE came down at 11:15 pm EST Wednesday (0415 GMT Thursday) over central Egypt. There were no information regarding whether any spacecraft debris survived reentry, and if so, where it might have landed. Late Wednesday NASA had said that EUVE came down at 11:25 pm EST (0425 GMT) over the Persian Gulf, after previously predicting an impact time of 11 pm EST (0400 GMT) over Brazil. EUVE lacked thrusters that would have permitted spacecraft operations to make a controlled reentry, as was done in 2000 for the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, hence the uncertainty about the exact time and location of reentry. Up to 100 kilograms of titanium and stainless steel components of the spacecraft could have survived reentry.

Related Links:

•  NASA press release
•  AP article
•  CNN article