On 28 December 1982, the ejection system in Kosmos 1402 failed to adequately jettison the reactor to a higher orbit, and the satellite split into three parts and began to tumble out of control. The three main sub-components were the reactor with its booster engine, the instrument section of the satellite with the expended second stage of the launch vehicle, and the radar antenna. If the uranium core were to explode or shatter in the atmosphere, and radioactive fragments fell near a populated area, the resulting nuclear contamination could have caused a significant and widespread hazard. The uncertainty of the reentry location and time, coupled with concerns of
radioactive contamination, triggered many countries to place emergency response teams on high alert. Military aircraft, ships, and personnel were mobilized in anticipation. Countries with response plans included United States, Canada, Belgium, Australia, Oman, UAE, West Germany, France and Sweden. The reactor section and core continued to orbit for another two weeks. It re-entered on February 7, 1983, over the
South Atlantic Ocean, near
Ascension Island (). The reactor is believed to have completely burned up into particles and dispersed to safe levels of atmospheric radioactivity. ==Aftermath==