Mosti: Tuesday night fireball over Sarawak suspected to be space debris
by Samuel Aubrey · Borneo Post OnlineKUCHING (April 9): An object sighted in the airspace over Sarawak on Tuesday is suspected to be space debris, according to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti).
In a press statement today, Mosti said it had received initial information regarding the sighting, which gained attention after viral videos circulated online.
The ministry noted that so far, there have been no official reports of debris being found on land or in waters.
“Based on preliminary analysis of the viral videos, the object is believed to possibly be part of space debris; however, further confirmation is still under investigation,” the ministry said.
Mosti added that monitoring efforts are being actively carried out by its Space Authority Division (BPAngkasa), in collaboration with the Malaysian Space Agency.
Mosti also advised the public not to touch any suspicious objects and to immediately alert the authorities. Reports can be made via the national emergency line 999, or directly to BPAngkasa at 03-8885 8685 or bpadg@mosti.gov.my.
Mosti added that it would continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as necessary.
It was reported on Wednesday that a fireball-like object streaking across the sky over parts of Sarawak has been linked to debris from China’s Long March-8 carrier rocket.
The incident, which attracted widespread attention, was captured and shared widely on social media by netizens in the state.
According to a report by Global Times on April 7, 2026, China launched the Long March-8 rocket on Tuesday from Hainan province, successfully placing 18 internet satellites into orbit.
fireball Ministry of Science space debris technology and innovation