What the Heck Was That?

[terrahead]

I was walking in a field near my home on October 14, 2007 at 19:05 UTC near Steyning, West Sussex (yes, it was dark but no cloud cover) and saw a bright white light with a red glow 'attached' appear close to the eastern horizon and rise rapidly at a steep angle towards the north.
Its angular velocity was more or less steady but slowed towards the 'top' of its trajectory and it then faded or disappeared from view, high in the northern sky. Total viewing period was 1-2 minutes.
My wife was with me and watched it as well. There was no sound and the lights were steady. My thoughts were that it was a satellite reentry. An enquiry to the Director, Center for Orbital and Reentry Debris Studies in USA turned up no correlating record. I considered a fighter in reheat but think it was too prolonged for reheat climb. It was not ISS which was 'in' the western sky, and in any case this was far too bright.
Several aircraft were in the Gatwick WILLO hold and their pilots may have seen it. I am a current airline pilot, ex-fighters, so would regard this sighting as genuine and credible but unexplained. Any clues please?

[terrahead]

This is a further reply from the Boffin in the States:
"Certainly could have been a grazing meteor, one that just passes through the edge of the atmosphere and heats up, but goes back to space. We would expect a reentering object, either a meteor or a spacecraft, to gradually come apart and form many objects. You might try to find a local amateur astronomer and see if he saw anything or can refer you to someone who might have also seen the event."
It was quite a sight.
"For once you have tasted flight
You will forever walk the Earth
With your eyes turned skyward"
Leonardo da Vinci

[Hokulea]

Terrahead - I've seen a few reentries of space junk over the years and your description doesn't match what I've seen in general. Space junk, if it's large enough, will generally break up so you see several pieces and probably wouldn't produce a "steady" light. They are generally very impressive sights and it's obvious something is burning up.

One question: did you see a trail at all?

Your description sounds more like you saw something in low-earth orbit, it faded when it went into the Earth's shadow, but 1) the "attached" red light doesn't fit and 2) I can't find anything that would have been in the position you describe on that date and time (as you mention, the ISS would only have been visible to the west). It could possibly have been a military satellite; I don't believe their orbits are made public so it would be difficult to check.

It could have been a meteor that "bounced" off the atmosphere, but I would expect that to leave a trail. Iridium flare? I checked and there were none expected that night (plus the description doesn't match I think).

If you're still curious, PM me. I have a friend and colleague who although retired now, was an expert on satellite reentry and on observations of man-made orbiting object in general. I haven't been in touch with him for a few years but may be able to put you in contact with him.

Incidentally, for anyone interested in trying to identify satellites they saw, a visit to www.heavens-above.com would be a good start.