The American Meteorological Society received 36 sightings, and astronomer Jonathan McDowell confirmed the satellite, launched in 2022, was part of the expansive Starlink internet constellation. SpaceX designs its satellites to safely disintegrate upon reentry, avoiding space debris.
Over the weekend, a brilliant ball of light captivated onlookers across the Southwest United States as it streaked and fragmented in the sky. The American Meteorological Society (AMS) logged 36 reports from people as far south as Texas and as far north as Colorado, all witnessing what appeared to be a fiery celestial event.While initially perceived as a meteor fireball, experts suggest that the spectacle was actually a retired SpaceX Starlink satellite burning up upon reentry. SpaceX’s Starlink satellites are intentionally designed to incinerate in Earth's atmosphere at the end of their service, preventing them from becoming space debris.Eyewitness videos shared with the AMS captured what looked like a meteor trailing a fiery tail, visible over states like Colorado, Kansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. Observers described vibrant colors—orange, red, and yellow—and noted that the fireball shattered into smaller pieces, creating multiple streaks of light across the sky.Some witnesses mentioned sounds accompanying the visual, like crackling or rumbling, while one viewer from Henrietta, Texas, likened it to fireworks, calling it "unlike anything I’ve ever seen." Another, from Apache, Oklahoma, compared it to scenes from science fiction, and a resident in Lindsay, Oklahoma thought it resembled a spaceship explosion.According to astronomer and space debris expert Jonathan McDowell, this widely observed event was likely a retired Starlink satellite launched in 2022. Since 2019, SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has launched thousands of these satellites to provide global internet coverage as part of its Starlink network.About Starlink and Satellite Retirements Since 2019, SpaceX has deployed over 6,000 operational satellites to establish the Starlink constellation, delivering internet worldwide. Recently, SpaceX collaborated with T-Mobile to send wireless emergency alerts in areas without terrestrial cell towers, even enabling SMS messaging after hurricanes.Orbiting at under 372 miles above Earth, Starlink satellites naturally deorbit within five years due to atmospheric drag. However, SpaceX proactively deorbits satellites in danger of losing maneuverability. To date, they have carried out controlled deorbits for 406 satellites and plan to conduct around 100 more soon.
Over the weekend, a brilliant ball of light captivated onlookers across the Southwest United States as it streaked and fragmented in the sky. The American Meteorological Society (AMS) logged 36 reports from people as far south as Texas and as far north as Colorado, all witnessing what appeared to be a fiery celestial event.While initially perceived as a meteor fireball, experts suggest that the spectacle was actually a retired SpaceX Starlink satellite burning up upon reentry. SpaceX’s Starlink satellites are intentionally designed to incinerate in Earth's atmosphere at the end of their service, preventing them from becoming space debris.Eyewitness videos shared with the AMS captured what looked like a meteor trailing a fiery tail, visible over states like Colorado, Kansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. Observers described vibrant colors—orange, red, and yellow—and noted that the fireball shattered into smaller pieces, creating multiple streaks of light across the sky.Some witnesses mentioned sounds accompanying the visual, like crackling or rumbling, while one viewer from Henrietta, Texas, likened it to fireworks, calling it "unlike anything I’ve ever seen." Another, from Apache, Oklahoma, compared it to scenes from science fiction, and a resident in Lindsay, Oklahoma thought it resembled a spaceship explosion.According to astronomer and space debris expert Jonathan McDowell, this widely observed event was likely a retired Starlink satellite launched in 2022. Since 2019, SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has launched thousands of these satellites to provide global internet coverage as part of its Starlink network.About Starlink and Satellite Retirements Since 2019, SpaceX has deployed over 6,000 operational satellites to establish the Starlink constellation, delivering internet worldwide. Recently, SpaceX collaborated with T-Mobile to send wireless emergency alerts in areas without terrestrial cell towers, even enabling SMS messaging after hurricanes.Orbiting at under 372 miles above Earth, Starlink satellites naturally deorbit within five years due to atmospheric drag. However, SpaceX proactively deorbits satellites in danger of losing maneuverability. To date, they have carried out controlled deorbits for 406 satellites and plan to conduct around 100 more soon.
