The object was observed at an altitude of 17.6 miles above the Earth's surface. Its impact was simultaneously detected by space-based visible wavelength sensors operated by the U.S. Department of Energy and by the Los Alamos researchers monitoring their infrasound system. A similar set of observations confirmed the entry of a meteor last August 25. Each year a number of large meteors enter the atmosphere and are detected by the Los Alamos arrays which operate in addition to satellite detection systems. ReVelle said that at least 10 meteors that are six feet or greater in diameter enter the atmosphere each year.
Larger bolides entering the atmosphere occur less frequently, but they do occur nevertheless.
The meteors of April and August played an important role in improving the accuracy of nuclear non-proliferation technology. Every time we hear a bolide, we learn something about this technology and are better able to fine-tune it. Sometimes other technologies miss events that infrasound arrays detect. Consequently, infrasound is inexpensive insurance for cost effective monitoring, and it is something that's available to the entire international community - which isn't the case with some other technologies. Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.