A European Space Agency satellite called the ERS-2 reentered the Earth’s atmosphere and landed in the Pacific Ocean on Feb. 21.

The satellite was launched in 1995 and was intended to be used for three years, but it remained operational until 2011.

The ESA decided to deorbit the ERS-2 to avoid adding to the space debris that is orbiting Earth because of its potential danger for future space projects.

During its operation, the ERS-2 satellite collected invaluable data about Earth’s climate, including the atmosphere, ocean temperatures and climate change.

Much of the data collected by ERS-2 continues to be applied to scientific research on climate-related challenges.