Bright object that lit the sky was Chinese rocket debris
THE bright object seen crossing the sky from the northern parts of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana on Tuesday evening, has been confirmed to be rocket debris.
Previously thought to be a meteor or bolide, the object was in fact the re-entry debris of the upper stage of the Long March 2C / YZ-1S launch vehicle.
South African Astronomical Observatory Science Engagement Astronomer Dr Daniel Cunnama said the debris was a result of the re-entry of the upper stage of the Chinese rocket.
“At 2.30pm the upper stage performed a de-orbit burn targeting re-entry over the Indian Ocean. This failed and the upper stage remained in orbit for about four hours before coming down over Southern Africa.
“These days launches are quite regular, but generally, these re-entries are targeted over the ocean, but occasionally as in this case, they do not go entirely to plan. Thankfully the object burned up and we have had no reports of debris reaching the ground,” Cunnama said.
Astronomical Society of Southern
Africa Comet, Meteor and Asteroid specialist, Tim Cooper, said the object was not a bolide. “Courtesy of (Astronomer) Jonathan McDowell; 'The YZ-1S upper stage entered an elliptical orbit after its first burn ... and an 1 100km circular orbit after its second burn. The satellites were deployed shortly after this. The YZ-1S made a deorbit burn targeting entry over the central Indian Ocean. However, it appears that the resulting perigee was not low enough for immediate re-entry and the YZ-1S remained up for four hours, re-entered at third perigee over southern Africa ... where it was widely observed.”
The Long March 2C / YZ-1S Internet Connectivity Test Satellite, a communications satellite, launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in China.