Chinese Space Debris Lights Up California Sky

The orbital module from the Shenzhou-15 mission created a stunning visual display upon re-entry, sparking initial confusion among observers.

Parts of a Chinese rocket re-entered Earth's atmosphere early Tuesday morning, creating a spectacular light show visible from Sacramento to San Diego.
The space debris was identified as the orbital module from the November 2022 Chinese Shenzhou-15 launch, which was not designed to return safely to Earth.
Observers initially mistook the fiery display for a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch that had occurred several hours earlier.
On average, one piece of space debris enters Earth's atmosphere every day, but the fragments pose no risk to those on the ground.
Criticism has been directed at the uncontrolled re-entry of Chinese space debris, with concerns over potential hazards to active satellites and a small risk to humans.