**BREAKING: Alien Space Pancake Crashes into Desert, Residents of SoCal and Nevada Left Baffled**
In a shocking turn of events, a glowing, pancake-like object was spotted hurtling across the night sky over Southern California and Nevada, sending residents into a frenzy of excitement and confusion. Initially thought to be a meteor, the mysterious object was later identified as… a discarded Starlink satellite launched by SpaceX, but not before it performed an epic, slow-motion belly flop over the desert.
According to eyewitnesses, the object, which was described as a “giant, shiny frisbee” and “a metallic, extraterrestrial pizza,” was seen streaking across the sky, leaving a trail of glittering, rainbow-colored sparks in its wake.
“I was driving home from the grocery store when I saw this… this… thing in the sky,” said local resident, Jane Doe. “I thought it was a UFO, but then I saw it was just a piece of space junk. Still, it was pretty cool!”
The object, which was later confirmed to be a defunct Starlink satellite, was reportedly traveling at a speed of approximately 4,000 miles per hour, narrowly missing a group of startled astronomers in the Mojave Desert.
“We were just trying to stargaze, and then suddenly, this… this… space pancake comes out of nowhere!” exclaimed Dr. John Smith, a leading expert in the field of not-being-hit-by-space-debris. “It was like something out of a sci-fi movie, but with more twinkling lights!”
SpaceX officials confirmed that the satellite, which was launched in 2020, had reached the end of its lifespan and was safely deorbited (read: crashed) over the desert.
“We’re thrilled to report that our satellite lived its best life and then went out with a bang… or rather, a gentle thud,” said a SpaceX spokesperson. “We’re just glad it didn’t land on anyone’s house… or picnic blanket.”
The incident has left residents of Southern California and Nevada breathing a sigh of relief, while also scratching their heads in wonder.
“I mean, who needs aliens when you have SpaceX?” quipped local resident, Bob Johnson. “It’s like they’re putting on a show just for us!”
In related news, the nearby town of Pahrump, Nevada has reported a surge in sales of “I Survived the Space Pancake” t-shirts and novelty items.
