The second stage from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 used to launch Starlink 11-4 from Vandenberg on February 1st has apparently re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, with parts of the spacecraft’s debris reaching the ground in Poland. Initially entering over the Irish Sea, the reentering body broke apart, and the debris path of the spacecraft continued over the UK, western European countries including Poland and Ukraine.
Parts of the rocket body, including a suspected pressure vessel, were found near Poznan, Poland today, prompting local investigations into the incident and public safety concerns.
At the time of this writing, SpaceX has not confirmed that the debris is theirs, but according to the FAA, the company is investigating the matter.
What Happened?
After lifting off on February 1st with no problems, Falcon 9 delivered its payload of Starlink satellites into their intended orbit after a brief circularization burn of the second stage, as planned. What apparently did not go to plan is the de-orbit burn of the second stage, as it was still in orbit as late as yesterday, February 18th. In recent years, SpaceX has de-orbited its spent second stages relatively promptly after their primary mission is complete, but in the case of Starlink 11-4, this was not the case.
According to space object CelesTrak, the second stage’s orbit began to decay rapidly in the past few days:
Graph via CelesTrak
As the graph shows, late last night the orbit of the second stage decayed rapidly, indicating re-entry.
No reports of injuries or property damage as a result of debris landing have appeared thus far in the Polish press or on social media.
Will There Be An FAA Investigation? Could Falcon 9 Be Grounded?
It is undetermined at this point in time whether the FAA will require an investigation or that Falcon 9 will be grounded.
Florida Media Now asked the FAA if they would require a mishap investigation today, and they replied:
“SpaceX informed the FAA the company is working to confirm whether the space debris found in Poland belongs to them. Contact SpaceX for additional information.”
— The FAA, Wednesday, February 19, 2025
One thing that is important to remember is that whether this is indeed S2 of Starlink 11-4 has yet to be fully determined. While the orbital position matches NORAD 62878, SpaceX has not yet confirmed that the debris is theirs. Until that determination is made, the FAA is unlikely to require an investigation or to ground Falcon 9.
If it turns out that the debris is indeed part of Falcon 9, the FAA may require an investigation. One was required following a very similar issue following the SpaceX Crew 9 launch, where its Falcon 9 second stage also did not fire on its deorbit burn as planned. Unlike Crew 9, a complicating factor in the case of Starlink 11-4 is that apparently, debris landed on the ground, in a foreign country, and near a populated area.
Re-Entry Video
Debris Photos
