A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket upper stage has been captured in spectacular footage breaking up in Earth's atmosphere over Mexico, five years after it first launched. The event occurred on Saturday, with the entire upper part disintegrating as it re-entered the atmosphere.
The upper stage was part of the Falcon 9 that sent the EchoStar 23 mission into space in March 2017. It appeared as a bright streak across the night sky over Cabo, with pieces flying off in various directions, resembling a meteorite to bystanders.
The Aerospace Corporation confirmed the object was the Falcon 9 upper stage. It was breaking up at 17,500 miles per hour, with various parts separating and burning up at different rates. No debris is believed to have reached the ground.
It is normal for rocket stages to burn up in the atmosphere upon re-entry, which can occur days, weeks, or even years after launch. The EchoStar 23 satellite, which the rocket carried to orbit 22,300 miles above Earth, remains operational and is expected to last at least another decade.
SpaceX has been increasing its launch cadence, with 52 missions planned for 2022, including crewed flights for NASA and the first fully civilian crew to the International Space Station.
