Chinese Satellite GaoJing 1-02 Reenters Atmosphere Over New Orleans at 10:08 PM CST, Visible Across Southeast

Dec 22, 2024, 05:17 AM

A Chinese commercial imaging satellite, GaoJing 1-02 (SuperView-1), reentered Earth's atmosphere over New Orleans, Louisiana, on December 21, 2024, at approximately 10:08 PM CST, creating a spectacular display observed across several states. Reports indicate that thousands of witnesses in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Missouri saw the satellite break apart in the sky. The event was characterized by a slow-moving fireball, shedding debris, which led some meteorologists to initially speculate it could be a meteor. However, subsequent analysis confirmed it was likely space debris from the satellite's reentry. The satellite's trajectory was noted to be heading northbound towards Mississippi, Arkansas, and Missouri. Videos and images shared by observers captured the phenomenon, which was also reported by various weather and news outlets in the region.