The European Space Agency was able to shorten the amount of time the satellite took to fall to Earth, and limit the risk of it hitting populated areas.
Europe's Aeolus satellite will crash back to Earth today (July 28) in an unprecedented 'assisted reentry' that could provide a template for other missions.
The European Space Agency is guiding its Aeolus wind-studying satellite to a destructive atmospheric reentry this week. Here's when and where it's expected to happen.