Can satellites detect falling meteorites?
Yes. Military, weather and research satellites detect bright fireballs from orbit, and their data have helped locate where meteorites fell.
Satellites watch Earth for many purposes, and some of them also detect fireballs.
Government sensors. United States government satellites, designed to detect missile launches and nuclear explosions, also record bright fireballs. Since 1988, data on hundreds of large fireballs have been released, including time, location, altitude and energy. These records are a key source for estimating how often objects of different sizes strike Earth.
Weather satellites. The Geostationary Lightning Mapper on NOAA's GOES weather satellites, operating since 2017, records flashes of light across the Americas. It has detected many fireballs and helped identify events that dropped meteorites. Similar instruments on European and Chinese satellites can also detect fireballs.
Other satellites. Some Earth observation satellites have photographed fireball trails or the dust clouds left behind. The Chelyabinsk event's dust trail was photographed by weather satellites.
Limitations. Satellite sensors detect only bright fireballs, typically from objects of at least a metre across. Location accuracy may be limited, so ground cameras and eyewitness reports are needed to pinpoint fall areas.
Uses. Satellite data help researchers estimate the population of small asteroids, test models of how meteoroids break up, and support searches for meteorites. Combined with infrasound and ground camera networks, they provide a global picture of what is hitting Earth.
Public data. Some fireball data from satellites are released publicly, allowing scientists and enthusiasts to study events worldwide.