BRIN's Explanation on the Glowing Object in the Lampung Sky
Glowing objects crossing the Lampung sky caused a stir, with some mistaking them for an Iranian missile. The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has provided an explanation of what these objects were.
In a circulating video, several yellow glowing objects were seen crossing the night sky at high speed. The objects appeared to split apart and multiply.
Quoted from detikInet, the glowing objects were neither a meteor nor a missile. Professor of Astronomy at the National Research and Innovation Agency, Thomas Djamaluddin, stated that the objects were space debris from the Chinese CZ-3B rocket.
“Residents around Lampung and Banten were startled by a bright object streaking across the sky, appearing to break into several parts. It was fragments of space debris,” said Djamal on Sunday (5/4/2026).
“The latest information from Space-Track and orbital analysis shows that the Chinese rocket remnant was travelling from the direction of India towards the Indian Ocean off the west coast of Sumatra. Around 19:56 WIB, its altitude dropped below 120 km. The object entered the dense atmosphere, continued to streak while burning and breaking apart. That is what was witnessed by residents around Lampung and Banten,” he added.
He also explained that similar events have occurred before, though they are rarely visible from Indonesia. He mentioned that in 2022, a similar object was seen in Lampung and fell in the Sanggau area of West Kalimantan.
Djamal noted that most space debris burns up completely in the atmosphere before reaching the Earth’s surface. Thus, it is not dangerous to those on the ground. The risk only arises if parts do not burn completely and fall in populated areas, but this has never happened anywhere in the world to date.
Space debris can fall to Earth, Djamal continued, due to atmospheric drag in low orbits. Rocket remnants or inactive satellites will experience deceleration due to interaction with the atmosphere, causing their altitude to continuously decrease until they enter the dense atmospheric layer and burn up.
Djamal also urged the public to remain calm and not panic if they witness similar phenomena in the future. This phenomenon is part of the dynamics of global space activities that can be observed scientifically, while also serving as a momentum to enhance public literacy on science and space matters.