The original altitude is not relevant to how the item burns up. Its not the vertical velocity when it hits the atmosphere, its the horizontal velocity. Anythi

The original altitude is not relevant to how the item burns up. Its not the vertical velocity when it hits the atmosphere, its the horizontal velocity. Anything re-entering the atmosphere is subjected to temperatures around 8000 deg. Most things are just totally incinerated, unless they are well-enough insulated to withstand that temperature until they slow down from orbital velocity.