The second stage of a Chinese rocket that orbited two top secret Chinese anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons targeting U.S. military satellites last June 25 burned-up in a spectacular series of fireballs in the night sky over the West Coast of the United States.

The remains of the Chinese rocket Chang Zheng-7 (CZ-7) or Long March-7 triggered numerous reports of UFO sightings in social and news media. Media reported that fragments of CZ-7 were seen by witnesses disintegrating at around 9:30 p.m. Pacific Time on July 27. Witnesses pointed out the burning debris moved from west to east trailing bright fireballs of different colors.

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The object was the 30 feet-long second stage of CZ-7 that fragmented into pieces as it plunged earthward at over 18,000 mph, said astronomer Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. McDowell said this conclusion was confirmed by the Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC).

JSpOC also confirmed it had "removed a Chinese rocket body, a CZ-7 rocket body, from our U. S. satellite catalog as a 'decayed object' last evening (July 27)."

McDowell noted it's rare for objects weighing over five tons to re-enter Earth's atmosphere. He was also puzzled why China didn't ensure this massive booster disintegrated over the Pacific Ocean, fueling speculation China intentionally had the booster burn-up over continental USA to strike fear into Americans.

"It's a bit surprising that their new, fancy modernized launch system didn't include the ability to safely dispose of the upper stage," he said.

CZ-7 orbited Aolong-1 or Roaming Dragon, one of two secret satellites identified only as "ADRV" and "BPV" during its maiden launch. China made no prior mention of Aolong-1 as among the payloads aboard CZ-7, leading to speculation this small satellite is a military satellite with a military mission as part of China's ongoing campaign to militarize space.

China only announced CZ-7carried into orbit a prototype capsule for China's future next generation crew vehicle (NGCV); a CubeSat; ADRV, BPV and a block of ballast.

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation said Aolong-1 is equipped with a robotic arm to remove large hunks of orbiting space debris such as old satellites. Weighing only a few hundred kilograms, Aolong-1 is just the first in a spacecraft class that will collect space debris in the future.

An unnamed researcher with the National Astronomical Observatories in Beijing, however, was quoted in the media as saying Aolong-1 isn't what it seems since it also has the potential to be used as an ASAT.

The source said it's "unrealistic" to remove the millions of pieces of space debris with robot spacecraft. Further evidence Aolong-1 has a military mission is its small size that makes it easy to build dozens of this weapon.

The technological challenge of identifying, maneuvering close to and grabbing a specific piece of tumbling space junk flashing by at thousands of kilometers per hour is impossible with existing Chinese technology.

As part of its disguise, Aolong-1 will do its advertised job of trying to remove space junk. In wartime, however, Aolong-1 will revert to its true purpose as a "Clean ASAT" that won't explode close to its target U.S. satellite but will instead nudge the target satellite so it either deviates from its current orbit or falls to Earth as flaming debris.

NASA estimates there are some 20,000 pieces of space trash larger than a softball orbiting the Earth. There are more than 10 million man-made pieces of debris orbiting the planet.

TagsChang Zheng-7, Long March 7, anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon, china, Aolong-1, Joint Space Operations Center