Lithium trace in upper air linked to Falcon 9 rocket breakup

New York (SDX) Feb 23, 2026
A plume of lithium pollution detected in the upper atmosphere in February 2025 has now been directly linked to the uncontrolled re-entry of a Falcon 9 rocket stage. Researchers report that this event provides the first direct measurement of upper-atmospheric contamination from disintegrating space hardware as it re-enters the atmosphere. Defunct satellites and spent rocket stages are gener