Sky illuminated by mysterious ‘space debris’ following rocket launch
- South California sky watchers were left wondering what they’d seen last Tuesday
- Locals reported seeing golden streaks in the sky that morning
- It was first thought to be debris from a SpaceX launch just six hours earlier
Published on Apr 05, 2024 at 3:10 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Apr 05, 2024 at 3:10 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
Exploding space debris resulting from a rocket lit up the sky and left southern California sky watchers wondering what they’d just encountered.
Locals reported seeing golden streaks in the sky on the morning of Tuesday, 2 April.
Viewers were heard asking: “Dude, what was that?”
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Several videos of the event were later posted to social media, with some witnesses calling local radio stations to report what they’d seen and ask for answers.
At first, many assumed that what they’d seen was a meteor shower or comet or even a misfire by SpaceX launch.
Sightings happened around six hours after the launch of a SpaceX rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 7:30 pm on April 1.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was loaded with 22 Starlink satellites when it entered low-Earth orbit.
It wouldn’t be the first time SpaceX has lit up the sky, as the SpaceX droneship captured an exquisite view of the Falcon 9 rocket’s launch and landing.
Its return to Earth was also previously captured in a magical display.
However, analysts now believe it was a Chinese rocket that was seen putting on a display as it re-entered Earth’s atmosphere.
As more and more missions take to space, the resulting junk showers are becoming increasingly common.
The Aerospace Corporation, a US-funded non-profit, used tracking data from the USSF 18th Space Defense Squadron to identify the object.
It was estimated to have a mass of roughly 1,500kg (3,300lbs).
“Our analysis suggests that the object seen re-entering over Los Angeles this morning was the orbital module from the November 2022 Chinese Shenzhou-15 launch to their space station,” they said in a statement.
“I’m hoping all of it burnt out in the upper atmosphere,” University of Southern California space relations expert, Madhu Thangavelu, told the BBC.
He also explained that as the global space community expands, there must be increased accountability and responsibility taken for space debris.
This is already a hot topic in the field of aviation with airline pilots’ UFO sightings demystified as a case of mistaken identity.
Thangavelu believes some of the debris landed in the Pacific.
Fortunately, there were no reports of the space debris crashing on land.
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All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
