SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Debris Falls Over Europe, Crashes in Poland

A shiny fireball streaked throughout the European sky on February 19, as particles from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket made an uncontrolled reentry. Reports from the United Kingdom, Germany, and Poland confirmed sightings of the thing because it burned up within the environment earlier than fragments crashed to the bottom. Social media customers in Lincolnshire, England, and Berlin, Germany, captured photos and movies of the occasion, displaying a blazing path within the night time sky. In Poland, a big metallic object was found outdoors the town of Poznań, prompting an investigation by native authorities and area businesses.

Rocket Debris Identified

According to the Polish Space Agency (POLSA), the thing was a part of the higher stage of the Falcon 9 rocket that launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on February 1, 2025. The company confirmed that the particles, weighing roughly 4 tons, originated from the Starlink Group 11-4 mission. The higher stage, which is designed to deorbit after finishing its mission, didn’t execute the manoeuvre as deliberate. Astrophysicist and satellite tv for pc tracker Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics stated through X that the reentry occurred over the Irish Sea at 03:43 UTC, with particles reaching Poland and Ukraine inside minutes.

Authorities Respond to the Incident

As per area.com, the Poznań Police reported receiving a name round 9:20 a.m. from staff at an organization in Komornik, who found an unidentified cylindrical object on their premises. No accidents or property injury have been reported. Another comparable object was later present in a close-by forest close to Wiry Village, roughly 30 kilometres away from the preliminary discovery. Agnieszka Gapys, press officer for POLSA, stated to Reuters that examinations have been underway to verify the origin of the particles. A 3rd object was reportedly noticed, however official affirmation continues to be pending. As of Wednesday afternoon, SpaceX had not launched a press release on the incident.