The 60th mission of Rocket Lab’s Electron is titled “Fasten Your Space Belts” launched on Tuesday, Feb.18, at 23:17 UTC. Electron flew from Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1B (LC-1B) at the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand, taking a southeasterly trajectory to LEO.

The flaming debris was part of the upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that launched 22 of the company's Starlink internet satellites to orbit from California on Feb. 1, experts say. The Falcon 9 upper stage is expendable (unlike the rocket's first-stage booster) but is designed to be brought down in a controlled fashion shortly after launch.