Hypersonic flowfield and radiation analyses are performed before and after flight to study the physical conditions experienced by the automated transfer vehicle Jules Verne during reentry before breakup. Results are compared to those obtained with a miniature Echelle spectrograph operated from an airborne platform, measuring the flux density of atomic line emissions from oxygen and nitrogen, as well as many metals. Molecular emissions from CN and AlO are also detected. The vehicle lost its solar panels at 86 km and first broke up at 75 km. The main cargo cabin held together until 68 km. Postflight analyses focus on altitudes of 86, 75, and 68 km. A first analysis includes only air species, correctly predicting the observed oxygen and nitrogen atomic line intensities. N 2 band emission is systematically overestimated by at least a factor of 20, indicating a need for revision of the radiation model for this system. A second analysis includes blowing of metals (aluminum, sodium, potassium, and magnesium) from the vehicle surface. The blowing rates are inferred by requiring the computed and measured emissions to match. Magnesium and aluminum originate from ablation of structural elements, while sodium and potassium may have originated as impurities in paint.