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last mo.

Study Shows Seismic Networks Can Track Falling Space Debris Using Sonic Booms

Automation could turn the technique into near‑real‑time fallout maps for recovery or contamination response.

An illustration showing the trajectory of a piece of space debris as it falls through the atmosphere over the western U.S. Color-coded contour lines denote the strength of associated shock waves from the supersonic flight of the debris.
A Long March-2F rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-15 spacecraft, on November 21, 2022.
Space junk falling out of orbit can be a threat -- now scientists say they have found a new way to track it as it speeds through the atmosphere.
Satellite catches fire in orbit.

Overview

  • Published in Science on January 22, the research used data from about 125–127 seismometers in Southern California and Nevada to reconstruct the April 2, 2024 Shenzhou‑15 reentry.
  • Seismic analysis placed the module’s path roughly 30 kilometers south of a U.S. Space Command forecast, and a separate Tracking and Impact Prediction estimate was off by about 8,600 kilometers.
  • The signals’ timing and intensity revealed a trajectory, altitude and speed of roughly Mach 25–30, as well as progressive fragmentation during descent.
  • The approach could help quickly identify debris fall‑out zones and potential atmospheric contamination, complementing radar and optical tracking that lose fidelity during breakup.
  • Researchers note constraints from sensor coverage and signal strength, no recovered debris to validate the track, and ongoing work to automate detection, factor in winds and build a catalog of reentries.