Archive · 23 Jan 2026
Earthquake Monitors Track Space Junk via Sonic Booms
Scientists have found a new way to track space junk that falls back to Earth.
They use special machines that usually detect earthquakes to listen for the loud sounds, called sonic booms, that space junk makes when it reenters the atmosphere.
This helps them figure out where the space junk is going.
In one case, they tracked a piece of a Chinese space capsule that was falling over California.
They found that the piece was going a different path than what radar had predicted.
This method can help people find and clean up space junk faster, especially if it might be dangerous.
There are many pieces of space junk falling back to Earth, and this new way of tracking can help keep us safe.
Scientists used seismic readings from sonic booms to track a Chinese crew capsule module reentering over Southern California in 2024.
The method allowed them to place the object’s path nearly 20 miles (30 kilometers) farther south than radar had predicted.
This approach could help recovery teams locate dangerous debris more quickly, especially in remote areas like the South Pacific.
The study, published in the journal Science, focused on one debris event but has been used to track dozens of other reentries, including SpaceX Starship test flights.
Researchers aim to improve future calculations by factoring in the wind’s effect on falling debris and eventually publish a catalog of seismically tracked space objects.
- Who
- Researchers led by Benjamin Fernando from Johns Hopkins University
- What
- Using seismic readings to track space debris reentry
- When
- Study published in 2024, focusing on a 2024 reentry event
- Where
- Southern California and other locations with seismic networks
- Why
- To improve tracking of uncontrolled space debris and locate dangerous debris quickly
- Study Focus
- Tracking space debris reentry using seismic readings from sonic booms
- Key Event
- Chinese crew capsule module reentry over Southern California in 2024
- Tracking Method
- Seismic data from sonic booms generated during reentry
- Research Team
- Led by Benjamin Fernando from Johns Hopkins University
- Published In
- Journal Science
- Additional Data
- Tracked debris from three failed SpaceX Starship test flights
- Potential Impact
- Helps recovery teams locate dangerous debris more quickly