Here's a video of a satellite (a very large one) reentering: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhBw5yaR_SU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhBw5yaR_SU And here's

Here's a video of a satellite (a very large one) reentering: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhBw5yaR_SU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhBw5yaR_SU And here's a timelapse in a hypersonic plasma test chamber: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_AcG4ZQItg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_AcG4ZQItg (Keep in mind the pieces that come off are still going to keep being heated even after they seperate.) It largely does atomize yes, depending on the material. Which is why they're designed out of materials that will do this.