7-stage journey reveals how falling space rocks survive air

Asteroid 2023 CX1 observed streaking over Normandy, France, on February 13, 2023. The resulting Saint-Pierre-le-Viger meteorite fall was one of 75 analyzed in this study conducted by the SETI Institute and NASA Ames Research Center. (Photo Credit: G. de Reijke)

At least once in our lives, we’ve all seen a bright streak of light briefly blaze across the sky and have quickly referred to it as an asteroid, meteor, shooting star, comet, or some other whimsical name we’ve heard others use to describe it. For those calling it a meteor, you would be correct, but we’ll touch upon this later. The time it takes for a space rock, bolide being its scientific name, to travel through Earth's atmosphere and crash into the ground literally takes only a few seconds. But what happens to a space rock during this very brief travel time, and how can scientists use this to learn about a specific space rock’s origin and the potential damage it could cause if it explodes in mid-air?

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