Updated 16:38 IST, February 8th 2022
SpaceX's Falcon 9 launched in 2017 disintegrates over Mexico in incredible footage; WATCH
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, which was launched for a mission in March 2017 met its fiery end after it disintegrated over Mexico in the later hours of February 7.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, which was launched for a mission in March 2017 met its fiery end after it disintegrated over Mexico in the later hours of February 7. The rocket was seen entering the Earth's atmosphere leaving a trail behind in the night sky which was spotted by many.
This comes after reports have surfaced that another Falcon 9 rocket chunk is on a collision course with the Moon and is expected to crash on the lunar surface on March 4.
🔥 FALCON 9 DE SPACEX CAE SOBRE MÉXICO 🇲🇽
— Frontera Espacial (@FronteraSpacial) February 6, 2022
Esta noche se ha visto un "#Meteorito" cayendo sobre el norte de México.
🚀 En realidad era la segunda etapa de un Falcon 9 de SpaceX lanzado en marzo del 2017 con la misión EchoStar23.
Se ha desintegrado en la atmósfera completamente. pic.twitter.com/5ERaFTMBJ2
A Twitter post by Spanish-language feed Frontera Espacial confirmed that the meteoritic trail spotted in the dark sky was actually from the second stage of a Falcon 9 rocket launched under the EchoStar23 mission five years ago. The account said that the rocket pieces completely disintegrated in the atmosphere before hitting the ground. Another Twitter handle revealed that the pieces entered the Earth at a speed of over 28,000 kilometres per hour and the atmospheric drag led to the disintegration.
She’s breaking up, she’s breaking up!
— Steve Jurvetson (@FutureJurvetson) February 7, 2022
Around 1am, Gen saw this incredible spectacle streak across the Cabo sky for over a minute. It is a spacecraft breaking at 17,500 MPH. Various parts break off the bright main mass, and separate from differential drag in the upper atmosphere. pic.twitter.com/B53sHz1axM
A report by Space.com suggested that the EchoStar23 mission was to launch a satellite in a geostationary transfer orbit at an altitude of 35,900 kilometres. The satellite is operating to provide broadcast, internet and other communications services to Brazil and will reportedly be operational for another ten years. Meanwhile, neither SpaceX nor its boss Elon Musk has commented on the incident, which definitely left the stargazers amazed but poses serious questions about the growing space debris. Check out other clips capturing the fiery display over Mexico.
@SteveWAFB just saw this over the ocean in #cabo. Is this a meteor shower? Or what else could it be? Excuse the language on the video, we were blown away pic.twitter.com/97cv19s44f
— Dylan Philippe (@dylphil2) February 6, 2022
➡️El cohete lanzado en marzo del 2017 con la misión EchoStar23 y se ha desintegrado totalmente a su entrada en la atmósfera terrestre.
— Jean Suriel (@JeanSuriel) February 7, 2022
📽️ Desiree Molero
▶️ https://t.co/NSRx7b4I8x pic.twitter.com/tf09Mh3rcy
☄ REENTRADA DE #FALCON9 EN 🇲🇽
— Mentes Astronómicas 🔭✨ (@mentes_astro) February 6, 2022
🚀 La madrugada de este sábado 6 de febrero reingresó sobre el norte de México.
ℹ Corresponde a la segunda etapa de un #Falcon9 lanzado en marzo de 2017, en la misión #EchoStar23. pic.twitter.com/Xr06umwofu
SpaceX's Falcon 9 heads toward the Moon
A detached part of the Falcon 9 rocket, which was launched in 2015 but has been drifting in space now is likely to collide with the Moon on March 4 as per experts. The 4 metric tons rocket part already made a close lunar flyby on January 5 and is moving at a velocity of 2.58km/hr and, according to experts, will crash with the moon in a matter of weeks. Astronomers even say that the Falcon 9 is now a part of "space junk" to be the first "unintentional" case to hit the moon.
(Image: @SpaceX/Twitter)
Published 16:38 IST, February 8th 2022