Satellites Unscathed in Meteor Shower

A giant meteor shower bombarded the skies, but telecommunications satellites escaped undamaged from the celestial fireworks. Defense chiefs and communications firms from Britain to Moscow to Luxembourg, which had feared that the satellites’ mirrors could be smashed, said their equipment was intact. Israeli astronomers were treated to one of the most spectacular displays of the so-called Leonid meteors, but scientists across northern Europe saw little because of thick clouds. NASA scientist Chris Reilly was jubilant after taking to the skies over the Azores. “We saw up to 5,000 shooting stars an hour. The sky was on fire. It was the experience of a lifetime. I am only sorry it was raining back in London,” he told BBC Radio.