Chinese satellite burns up over US skies in fiery spectacle
The GaoJing 1-02 satellite disintegrated in a fiery spectacle over the United States. Witnesses reported a mesmerizing "fireball." This marks the second Chinese space vessel to burn up over North America within just a few days.
The Chinese satellite GaoJing 1-02, also known as Superview 1-02, made an uncontrolled entry into Earth's atmosphere over the United States on 21 December. Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, as quoted by Live Science, noted that the satellite's components were too small to pose a threat, as they burned up entirely in the atmosphere, making the chances of any fragments surviving rather slim. The expert also remarked, "The sat has been space junk and dead as a doornail since Jan 2023. This was an uncontrolled reentry."
The fiery end of the satellite was visible in several states
The satellite was observed in the skies over several states. According to available records, the GaoJing 1-02 satellite, a commercial imaging device, re-entered Earth's atmosphere at a speed of approximately 27,000 kilometres per hour, flying over New Orleans and then heading northward, passing over Mississippi, Arkansas, and Missouri.
GaoJing 1-02, also referred to as Superview 1-02, was launched at the end of 2016. However, due to various reasons, its operations ceased almost two years ago, making the natural process of deorbiting an inevitable conclusion to its mission.
As the satellite disintegrated in Earth's atmosphere, social media users began sharing photos and videos of the event. The entry into the atmosphere created an impressive "fireball," visible across several US states. The event was captured in numerous photos and videos, with the American Meteor Society receiving 120 reports from witnesses. Some mistook it for a meteor shower or meteors from the Ursid meteor shower, which was also at its peak activity.
This is not the first fall of Chinese space objects
This is already the second Chinese spacecraft to burn up over North America within a few days. On 19 December 2024, a Chinese CZ-4B rocket disintegrated over the Caribbean. Eddie Irizarry, a NASA ambassador, quoted by Live Science, explained that the rocket gradually lost altitude due to atmospheric drag until it reached an altitude of approximately 112 kilometres over Puerto Rico, leading to its destruction.
Experts emphasise that these incidents highlight the growing threat posed by space debris. Inactive satellites and rocket fragments present a potential threat to operational spacecraft and ground infrastructure. Therefore, international efforts are needed to reduce the amount of space debris and develop effective methods for its removal.
