On December 21, 2024, the defunct Chinese earth-imaging satellite GaoJing 1-02 re-entered Earth's atmosphere, creating a bright fireball that was visible over North Mississippi.

Agencies continuously monitor space debris and forecast reentry events, which are expected to become more frequent as more objects are launched into space.

Chief Meteorologist Dave Roberts emphasized that the increasing number of satellites in orbit contributes to the rising frequency of such re-entry events.

Despite initial concerns, no fragments from the satellite have been reported recovered, suggesting it may have completely disintegrated before reaching the ground.

NASA has indicated that several decommissioned satellites fall back to Earth each year, with most components burning up upon reentry, posing minimal risk to people on the ground.

Initially mistaken for a meteor, the bright light display was later confirmed to be the disintegration of the GaoJing 1-02 satellite, which had been inactive for nearly two years.

The satellite re-entered the atmosphere just after 10 p.m. CST, traveling at approximately 17,000 miles per hour, significantly slower than typical meteors.

Launched in 2016, the GaoJing 1-02 was part of a constellation of four satellites operated by the Beijing-based SpaceView company.

Reports of the unusual sighting began flooding into WTVA 9 News after 10 p.m., with viewers sharing pictures and videos of the event.

The American Meteor Society received over 120 reports from witnesses who observed the fireball associated with the satellite's re-entry.

National Weather Service meteorologist Christopher Rainer noted that their agency initially mistook the satellite's re-entry for a meteor.

Rainer also clarified that there was no danger to residents from the satellite's disintegration, based on video evidence and assessments.