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| Feeling the Heat!
Air drag and, sometimes, gravitational effects cause satellites to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. Occasionally, re-entry is caused by a deliberate decision of a satellite owner to fire a retro-rocket and bring some part of a space vehicle back to Earth.
Most re-entries result in the vehicle being destroyed by frictional heating as it passes through the Earth's atmosphere. Some fragments may get through and hit the Earth's surface - hence the system of TIP messages to warn of the event. Only a space vehicle fitted with a heat shield will get through the atmosphere for a landing.
NOTE - Names used here are as used by Space-Track rather than the more-descriptive ones in the Orbital Focus tables.
Anticipated Re-entries
Information comes from Space-Track. Most entries are from the 60-day decay prediction messages. If the re-entry date has already passed then you might find the object is also in the actual re-entry list further down the page.
Below are re-entries expected over the next few weeks. The table includes only natural re-entries of satellites and rocket bodies. It excludes debris items and planned events like a Soyuz, Shenzhou or Dragon spacecraft returning from space station duties.
Table created: 2025 May 16, 06:48 UTC
Cat No |
Designation |
Name (SpaceTrack) |
Predicted Date UTC |
Prediction Issued UTC |
56798 | 2023-078AH | STARLINK-6068 | 2025 May 14 | 2025 May 14 | 45566 | 2020-025AM | STARLINK-1358 | 2025 May 14 | 2025 May 10 | 40108 | 2014-046B | FALCON 9 R/B | 2025 May 14 | 2025 May 15 | 56755 | 2023-073D | ELECTRON R/B | 2025 May 14 | 2025 May 15 | 45075 | 2020-006AH | STARLINK-1174 | 2025 May 14 | 2025 May 10 | 56752 | 2023-073A | ELECTRON KICK STAGE R/B | 2025 May 15 | 2025 May 8 | 45745 | 2020-038R | STARLINK-1503 | 2025 May 15 | 2025 May 15 | 53211 | 2022-084Y | STARLINK-4419 | 2025 May 15 | 2025 May 14 | 47561 | 2021-009P | STARLINK-1960 | 2025 May 15 | 2025 May 16 | 54171 | 2022-141Q | STARLINK-5229 | 2025 May 16 | 2025 May 15 | 43115 | 2018-004E | CARBONITE 2 | 2025 May 17 | 2025 May 15 | 47549 | 2021-009B | STARLINK-1806 | 2025 May 17 | 2025 May 8 | 47634 | 2021-012Q | STARLINK-2010 | 2025 May 17 | 2025 May 8 | 62264 | 2024-236B | OBJECT B | 2025 May 17 | 2025 May 8 | 46759 | 2020-074W | STARLINK-1833 | 2025 May 17 | 2025 May 16 | 53181 | 2022-083BB | STARLINK-4273 | 2025 May 17 | 2025 May 15 | 52466 | 2022-049R | STARLINK-3840 | 2025 May 18 | 2025 May 15 | 48600 | 2021-041AZ | STARLINK-2275 | 2025 May 19 | 2025 May 15 | 55052 | 2023-001AV | SKYKRAFT-1D | 2025 May 19 | 2025 May 15 | 59118 | 2024-043W | LACE-1 | 2025 May 19 | 2025 May 15 | 53217 | 2022-084AE | STARLINK-4379 | 2025 May 19 | 2025 May 15 | 32788 | 2008-021F | AAUSAT CUBESAT 2 | 2025 May 20 | 2025 May 15 | 53260 | 2022-086U | STARLINK-4136 | 2025 May 20 | 2025 May 15 | 17566 | 1987-024A | COSMOS 1825 | 2025 May 20 | 2025 May 16 | 44721 | 2019-074J | STARLINK-1015 | 2025 May 21 | 2025 May 15 | 47629 | 2021-012K | STARLINK-1974 | 2025 May 21 | 2025 May 8 | 53146 | 2022-083Q | STARLINK-4099 | 2025 May 21 | 2025 May 15 | 46363 | 2020-062AQ | STARLINK-1739 | 2025 May 22 | 2025 May 8 | 47766 | 2021-017AW | STARLINK-2184 | 2025 May 22 | 2025 May 15 | 44719 | 2019-074G | STARLINK-1013 | 2025 May 23 | 2025 May 15 | 47829 | 2021-018AU | STARLINK-2416 | 2025 May 23 | 2025 May 15 | 45774 | 2020-038AW | STARLINK-1485 | 2025 May 24 | 2025 May 15 | 59383 | 2024-062K | STARLINK-31709 | 2025 May 24 | 2025 May 15 | 62458 | 2024-252E | FALCON 9 R/B | 2025 May 24 | 2025 May 8 | 58260 | 2023-174E | LEMUR 2 DILIGHTFUL | 2025 May 25 | 2025 May 8 | 58263 | 2023-174H | LEMUR 2 GOOD-VIBES | 2025 May 25 | 2025 May 8 | 58278 | 2023-174Y | FLOCK 4Q 19 | 2025 May 26 | 2025 May 8 | 24721 | 1997-005B | M-5 R/B | 2025 May 27 | 2025 May 8 | 47564 | 2021-009S | STARLINK-1963 | 2025 May 27 | 2025 May 15 | 47663 | 2021-012AV | STARLINK-2053 | 2025 May 27 | 2025 May 15 | 47995 | 2021-024U | STARLINK-2309 | 2025 May 27 | 2025 May 15 | 44934 | 2020-001W | STARLINK-1071 | 2025 May 28 | 2025 May 15 | 47558 | 2021-009L | STARLINK-1957 | 2025 May 28 | 2025 May 8 | 59119 | 2024-043X | OBJECT X | 2025 May 28 | 2025 May 8 | 44945 | 2020-001AH | STARLINK-1109 | 2025 May 29 | 2025 May 15 | 44952 | 2020-001AQ | STARLINK-1117 | 2025 May 29 | 2025 May 8 | 47777 | 2021-017BH | STARLINK-2210 | 2025 May 29 | 2025 May 15 | 63798 | 2025-091Z | STARLINK-33827 | 2025 May 29 | 2025 May 8 | 46118 | 2020-057B | STARLINK-1588 | 2025 May 30 | 2025 May 8 | 48003 | 2021-024AC | STARLINK-2263 | 2025 May 30 | 2025 May 15 | 57464 | 2023-107H | STARLINK-30115 | 2025 May 30 | 2025 May 15 | 15944 | 1985-069A | COSMOS 1674 | 2025 May 31 | 2025 May 8 | 46151 | 2020-057AL | STARLINK-1631 | 2025 May 31 | 2025 May 8 | 57295 | 2023-096F | STARLINK-30206 | 2025 May 31 | 2025 May 15 | 63704 | 2025-087H | STARLINK-33937 | 2025 May 31 | 2025 May 8 |
Recent TIP Messages
Publication of TIP messages is not a matter of routine and they are not issued for all re-entries. They are more up to date and more precise than entries in the table and take precedence over them.
Readers unfamiliar with how to interpret TIP messages are recommended to read the Note at the bottom of the page.
Sometimes there may be a delay between the final TIP message and the re-entry being formally logged in Space-Track's Catalogue so a Message here may relate to a re-entry that has not yet moved from the 'Anticipated' list to the 'Recent' list.
Here is a list of TIP messages where the Window is less than about one quarter orbit. Even then it represents as much as +/-9000 km.
Table created: 2025 May 16, 06:47 UTC
Cat No & Designation |
Name (Space-Track) |
Terminal Date & Time UTC |
Lat, Long & Heading (10 km altitude) |
TIP Message Issued UTC |
56798 2023-078AH | STARLINK-6068 | 2025 May 14 07:35 ± 1 minutes | 10°.2 south, 178°.9 west southbound, ± 0.01 orbits | 2025 May 14 13:24 | 56755 2023-073D | ELECTRON R/B | 2025 May 14 21:29 ± 1 minutes | 15°.7 south, 43°.3 west southbound, ± 0.01 orbits | 2025 May 15 17:47 | 54589 2022-164B | KZ-11 R/B | 2025 May 12 07:48 ± 1 minutes | 14°.1 north, 51°.7 west northbound, ± 0.01 orbits | 2025 May 12 09:17 | 48008 2021-024AH | STARLINK-2271 | 2025 May 12 00:14 ± 14 minutes | 10°.4 north, 105°.6 west northbound, ± 0.16 orbits | 2025 May 12 04:41 | 47868 2021-021J | STARLINK-2323 | 2025 May 10 04:19 ± 1 minutes | 32°.6 north, 158°.9 west northbound, ± 0.01 orbits | 2025 May 10 04:59 | 46148 2020-057AH | STARLINK-1616 | 2025 May 10 05:36 ± 1 minutes | 6°.6 south, 152°.7 west northbound, ± 0.01 orbits | 2025 May 10 05:52 | 45566 2020-025AM | STARLINK-1358 | 2025 May 13 04:52 ± 2 minutes | 50°.1 south, 78°.7 west northbound, ± 0.02 orbits | 2025 May 13 12:49 | 45075 2020-006AH | STARLINK-1174 | 2025 May 13 10:35 ± 1 minutes | 40°.2 north, 137°.3 east northbound, ± 0.01 orbits | 2025 May 13 12:04 | 40108 2014-046B | FALCON 9 R/B | 2025 May 14 21:26 ± 1 minutes | 15°.7 south, 43°.3 west southbound, ± 0.01 orbits | 2025 May 15 05:31 | 6073 1972-023E | COSMOS 482 DESCENT CRAFT | 2025 May 10 05:32 ± 12 minutes | 39°.9 south, 110°.8 west northbound, ± 0.14 orbits | 2025 May 10 10:00 |
Recent Re-entries
This table is extracted from Space-Track's Catalogue and lists major re-entries that occurred in the last 30 days, whether natural or deliberate. Sometimes the date shown indicates when the object was first noticed as "missing from orbit", re-entry may have occurred at least one day earlier.
Table created: 2025 May 16, 06:48 UTC
Cat No |
Designation |
Name (SpaceTrack) |
Date UTC |
40108 | 2014-046B | FALCON 9 R/B | 2025 May 14 | 56798 | 2023-078AH | STARLINK-6068 | 2025 May 14 | 63224 | 2025-052Q | PIONEER-03 | 2025 May 14 | 43886 | 2018-111L | LEMUR 2 ZO | 2025 May 13 | 45075 | 2020-006AH | STARLINK-1174 | 2025 May 13 | 45566 | 2020-025AM | STARLINK-1358 | 2025 May 13 | 47507 | 2021-006CY | XR-1 | 2025 May 13 | 49322 | 2021-091H | OBJECT H | 2025 May 13 | 50995 | 2022-002M | MDASAT-1A | 2025 May 13 | 55030 | 2023-001X | FLOCK 4Y 29 | 2025 May 13 | 56986 | 2023-084BG | AYRIS-2 | 2025 May 13 | 56988 | 2023-084BJ | AYRIS-1 | 2025 May 13 | 58324 | 2023-174BW | FLOCK 4Q 10 | 2025 May 13 | 58333 | 2023-174CF | LEMUR 2 THE-CLEANER | 2025 May 13 | 58917 | 2024-024A | OBJECT A | 2025 May 13 | 59052 | 2024-039B | OBJECT B | 2025 May 13 | 59054 | 2024-039D | OBJECT D | 2025 May 13 | 59055 | 2024-039E | OBJECT E | 2025 May 13 | 59056 | 2024-039F | OBJECT F | 2025 May 13 | 59058 | 2024-039H | OBJECT H | 2025 May 13 | 59059 | 2024-039J | OBJECT J | 2025 May 13 | 48008 | 2021-024AH | STARLINK-2271 | 2025 May 12 | 51890 | 2022-022AQ | STARLINK-3519 | 2025 May 12 | 54589 | 2022-164B | KZ-11 R/B | 2025 May 12 | 6073 | 1972-023E | COSMOS 482 DESCENT CRAFT | 2025 May 10 | 46148 | 2020-057AH | STARLINK-1616 | 2025 May 10 | 47868 | 2021-021J | STARLINK-2323 | 2025 May 10 | 46163 | 2020-057AY | STARLINK-1610 | 2025 May 8 | 46544 | 2020-070N | STARLINK-1694 | 2025 May 8 | 47129 | 2020-088H | STARLINK-1838 | 2025 May 8 | 48961 | 2021-059CL | ASTROCAST-0202 | 2025 May 8 | 53678 | 2022-105AG | STARLINK-4418 | 2025 May 8 | 58591 | 2023-200C | STARLINK-31043 | 2025 May 8 | 23126 | 1994-034C | STRV 1B | 2025 May 7 | 44497 | 2019-054C | PEARL WHITE 1 | 2025 May 7 | 45666 | 2020-035K | STARLINK-1449 | 2025 May 7 | 62217 | 2024-230B | SL-4 R/B | 2025 May 7 | 40023 | 2014-033P | FLOCK 1C 10 | 2025 May 6 | 44414 | 2019-038AE | SOCRAT | 2025 May 6 | 45579 | 2020-025BA | STARLINK-1332 | 2025 May 6 | 46489 | 2020-068D | MEZNSAT | 2025 May 6 | 46534 | 2020-070C | STARLINK-1659 | 2025 May 6 | 47956 | 2021-022AA | CHALLENGEONE | 2025 May 6 | 48903 | 2021-059AA | LINCS2 | 2025 May 6 | 51038 | 2022-002BG | MDASAT-1C | 2025 May 6 | 55069 | 2023-001BN | FLOCK 4Y 9 | 2025 May 6 | 55071 | 2023-001BQ | FLOCK 4Y 8 | 2025 May 6 | 58330 | 2023-174CC | PICO-01G005 | 2025 May 6 | 58553 | 2023-193A | TIANYI 33 | 2025 May 6 | 59061 | 2024-039L | OBJECT L | 2025 May 6 | 59062 | 2024-039M | OBJECT M | 2025 May 6 | 59063 | 2024-039N | OBJECT N | 2025 May 6 | 45407 | 2020-019AZ | STARLINK-1275 | 2025 May 5 | 45682 | 2020-035AB | STARLINK-1397 | 2025 May 5 | 55909 | 2023-035B | CAPELLA-10 (WHITNEY) | 2025 May 5 | 56543 | 2023-065AS | STARLINK-6228 | 2025 May 5 | 44923 | 2020-001K | STARLINK-1106 | 2025 May 4 | 59649 | 2024-082U | STARLINK-31803 | 2025 May 3 | 63633 | 2025-082B | CZ-2F R/B | 2025 May 3 | 48028 | 2021-024BD | STARLINK-2264 | 2025 May 2 | 55391 | 2023-014A | STARLINK-5077 | 2025 May 2 | 59455 | 2024-068A | STARLINK-31617 | 2025 May 2 | 62105 | 2024-220T | STARLINK-33542 | 2025 May 2 |
Note on TIP Messages
Close to re-entry time for many objects, SpaceTrack issues TIP Messages with a more-precise warning of the event. The meaning of the TIP acronym is 'Tracking and Impact Prediction'.
The message includes an estimated latitude and longitude for when the object will go through a height of 10 kilometres (definition - Space-Track) above the ground based on the estimated time. It is a rough indication of the start point of the ellipse within which debris might fall given that horizontal velocity will have reduced to near-zero because of air resistance. In most cases, the location is meaningless in practical terms because the Window included in the Message covers a long track across the Earth's surface.
TIP Messages are often a source of confusion as people take the predicted time literally and ignore the error margin (Window) that is also part of the message. In 2011 RIA-Novosti used a TIP Message, issued several weeks in advance, to pinpoint a village in North Africa, doggedly insisting that it would feel the full force of of Phobos-Grunt’s re-entry. SpaceTrack's Window was ±2 days, representing over one million kilometres of ground track and a large proportion of the Earth's surface between 52° North and 52° South.
Page information updated as available |
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