NASA has denied claims its RHESSI satellite was responsible for the “meteor” that lit up the skies over Ukraine last night.
Videos showing the bright flash of an unknown object racing over the Ukrainian capital as air raid sirens rang out sparked much speculation.
The meteor soared through the skies over Kyiv as air raid sirens rang outTwitter
TwitterThe mysterious fireball left Ukrainians fearing a defunct Nasa satellite was falling[/caption]
Residents feared it could be the RHESSI satellite that was due to fall to Earth after 21 years.
And city authorities appeared to confirm the defunct Nasa probe had landed on the war torn nation.
But Nasa later said the satellite safely remained in orbit, quelling the fears of locals in Kyiv.
Sergiy Popko, head of the city’s military administration, said on Telegram: “Around 10pm on April 19, the bright glow of an aerial object was observed in the sky over Kyiv.
“According to preliminary information, this phenomenon was the result of a Nasa space satellite falling to Earth.”
An air raid alert was activated, Popko said, but “air defence was not in operation.”
Shortly after, the Ukrainian Air Force said the flash was “related to the fall of a satellite/meteorite.”
It added that this information was “to be clarified.”
Nasa later rubbished the claims and said the satellite remains in orbit, insisting it was not responsible for the strange explosion.
Incredible footage captured the moment the enormous fireball soared through the night sky, illuminating the city below.
After a ferocious flash, the mysterious meteor disappeared into the darkness just before 10pm local time.
It is said to have appeared just minutes before an air raid siren sounded a warning of a possible Russian attack – although no rockets or drones were seen.
There was speculation the air raid warning was triggered by the “meteor” flash and not incoming missiles.
Officials confirmed air defences did not fire.
One resident shared footage of the bizarre incident that had been captured by home surveillance cameras on Twitter.
They wrote: “Average evening in Kyiv is when you got Shahed drones incoming and a NASA satellite falls somewhere near.”
A motorist also shared a clip of the moment drivers were dazzled by the beam of light hurtling towards them before it fizzled out.
It sparked widespread suggestions it may have been the Nasa satellite tumbling towards Earth.
The 300kg defunct spacecraft, known as Rhessi, was due to re-enter the atmosphere in the early hours UK time.
Nasa said it was not clear exactly where it would fall but the risk of anyone being harmed by debris is “low” – with odds of about one in 2,467.
The majority of the structure should burn up as it plummets through the atmosphere, but some parts were expected to hit the ground.
The space agency predicted that the satellite will make its entry at around 9.30 p.m. EDT on April 19, or around 1.30am British summer time.
But experts warned there is an uncertainty of plus or minus 16 hours.
Tracker maps showed the predicted orbit was expected to be thousands of miles to the south of Kyiv.
It means it is unlikely that the Nasa satellite will pass over Ukraine tonight.
Rhessi first launched in 2002 and for 16 years observed solar flares and coronal mass ejections, according to Nasa.
It was launched with an Orbital Sciences Corporation Pegasus XL rocket and features only one imaging spectrometer.
During its mission, the spacecraft recorded over 100,000 X-ray events, assisting researchers in the study of energetic particles in solar flares.
Rhessi also assisted in other discoveries, such as improving measurements of the shape of the Sun and research on terrestrial gamma-ray flashes, NASA detailed.
According to the agency, Rhessi provided the first gamma-ray images and high-energy X-ray images of solar flares.
The satellite was retired in 2018 after NASA had communication difficulties with RHESSI.
Rhessi’s reentry to Earth this week marks the second retired satellite to come crashing down in 2023 so far.
It comes as Vladimir Putin made a shock visit to eastern Ukraine – while keeping his nuclear briefcase close by at all times.
The 70-year-old Russian president edged surprisingly close to the frontline and emerged from a helicopter in the city of Kherson.
He seemed to limp as he walked towards his commanders while an aide was seen possibly carrying the infamous nuclear suitcase.
The surprise jaunt came shortly after Putin sent up two Tu-95MS nuclear bombers over the east of the country as a sudden war drill.
The Soviet-era Tu-95s were flown over the Baring and Okhotsk seas in Russia’s latest show of strength with the West.
During the major war drills, the two fighter jets – nicknamed Bears – were refuelled by an Il-78 tanker aircraft.
TwitterMotorists were left stunned by the spectacle lighting up the night sky[/caption]
Twitter/BNODeskThe cause of the phenomenon currently remains unclear[/caption]