Reentry of the Starship spacecraft near Puerto Rico caused a huge roar. Witnesses claim they heard sounds and vibrations from several towns. While it is not ruled out that parts of notable size could have fallen into the sea. View details:
https://sociedadastronomia.com/blog/2023/11/1
Although the second test of SpaceX's most powerful rocket initially appeared to be successful, it has been confirmed that the Starship did not reach Earth orbit and there is strong evidence showing that the main part or at least much of the front section of the ship disintegrated. about 75 miles northeast of Puerto Rico, and not over the Gulf of Mexico as some originally thought.
"Shortly after takeoff, the first stage or lower segment of the rocket had successfully separated from the spacecraft, and it was that first stage of the fuselage that exploded shortly after over the waters of the Gulf of Mexico," clarified the Caribbean Astronomy Society ( SAC).
The educational entity highlighted that using an optical telescope equipped with cameras, as well as notable skills and experience, sky enthusiast Scott Ferguson managed to capture impressive images from the Florida Keys in which it can be seen that the Starship still showed a good part of the ship, even with its "fins", still almost intact as it crossed the skies between Cuba and Florida, and continuing towards the Caribbean.
Image captured of the Starship after its explosion. Photo by Astronomy Live (@astroferg
https://twitter.com/astroferg )

Source:
https://twitter.com/astroferg/status/1726293106100756821
While radar images, as well as experts, witnesses and videos demonstrate that the second stage or much of the main Starship ship, in fact, continued its flight and disintegrated just northeast of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Reports received by the SAC indicate that the Starship disintegrated over the Caribbean around 9:16 - 9:17 am AST (13:16 - 13:17 UT) on Saturday, November 18.
"I infer an impact point in the near Atlantic at 13:19 UT near 65 degrees west, 19 degrees north, and in fact a contrail or cloud of debris was detected by weather radar at that time and location, confirming this analysis "said astronomer and astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, with whom the SAC shared other images obtained from the Island.
One of the witnesses, photographer Jankiel Carranza of JCJ Photos, was photographing "surfers" at Playa El Único in Dorado, Puerto Rico and told the SAC: "I see this fast object crossing a large part of the sky from northwest to northeast and although "I managed to capture it with my camera almost at the end of the sighting, in fact it looked even brighter seconds before (the photo)," he said. Carranza explained that he used a 70 to 300 mm zoom lens.
View attachment 1700885392951.webp
"This is a very good image since it clearly shows a notable fragmentation of the object, leaving behind small objects, characteristic details of the re-entry of an artificial object, that is, different from how we see a natural meteor," highlighted Eddie Irizarry, SAC scientific communicator.
"I also noticed that the object showed parts that were separating from the main object; it continued to look intense orange and was large. It was leaving a long trail and I could see it from Arecibo," said Angélica Pérez.
The SAC highlighted that when Starship re-entered the atmosphere near the Island, the evidence suggests that the visible object still had a mass of notable size and because the ship was lined with thermal protection slabs, it is not ruled out that some Parts of considerable size may have reached the surface (above the sea) in the eastern Caribbean.
"Although these launches are coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), it would be advisable to issue notices or warnings to vessels or maritime navigation in this and other areas of the journey during future tests of other Starship rockets," the educational entity suggested, pointing out that if a cruise ship or other vessel had been in the area, its occupants might have witnessed objects falling into the water, or even had a great scare.
During SpaceX's final contact with the Starship, the ship was at an altitude of 92 miles (148 km), and traveling at more than 15,000 miles per hour, in nearly horizontal flight.
Witnesses claim they felt a great roar (sound and vibration)
Several people in the north and northeast of Puerto Rico, from Hatillo to Luquillo, reported to the SAC having heard sounds similar to thunder, while others indicate it sounded like explosions. The reports coincide with the time of Starship's re-entry: around 9:16 - 9:17 am on Saturday the 18th.
Yariel Osorio, from Loíza, PR, told the educational entity: "At that time I heard sounds like thunder, but they were strange. I entered a Weather Conditions application and I don't see thunderstorms in the area. Other residents of the area say that they felt a vibration along with the sounds," he said.
Interestingly, the same sounds and vibration were heard on other nearby islands, including Anguilla and the Virgin Islands:
https://caribbean.loopnews.com/content/strange-rumbling-sound-heard-some-northern-leeward-islands
Watch a video captured from Puerto Rico:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/879119606794532
NOAA/NWS radar showing the debris zone (a line) that appears suddenly, at the same time:
https://twitter.com/ACarl8610/status/1725889301844521040
Another video from San Juan, PR, by Elias Sobrino Najul
https://twitter.com/eliassob/status/1725871782186381474
Image of the trajectory and re-entry area, by Dr. Marco Langbroek.
View attachment 1700885575895.webp
Source:
https://twitter.com/Marco_Langbroek/status/1725992946560860566
Another similar estimate of re-entry:
https://twitter.com/flightclubio/status/1725955434471690284
SpaceX could provide more details about what went wrong, but this latest test should have provided valuable data for corrections, as the aerospace company has indicated that it will be trying again very soon.
The SAC highlighted that NOAA radar detected the Starship disintegrating near Puerto Rico. The image shows a "scratch" in the atmosphere northeast of the Island shortly after reentry.
