Reconstructing the orbit of the Chelyabinsk meteor using satellite observations

The large number of objects in a range of orbits around the Sun means that some will inevitably intersect the Earth, becoming a meteor. These objects are commonly comet fragments or asteroids. To determine the type of a particular meteor requires knowledge of its trajectory and orbital path that is typically estimated by using ground‐based observations such as images or radar measurements. A lack of data can, however, make this difficult and create large uncertainties in the reconstructed orbit. Here I show a new method for estimating a meteor's trajectory, and hence allowing computation of the orbit, based upon measurements from satellite sensors. The meteor that fell on 15 February 2013 is used as an example and the resulting orbit is in broad agreement with estimates from other observations. This new technique represents an alternative method for trajectory determination that may be particularly useful in areas where ground‐based observations are sparse.