Object traveling at immense speed, size and altitude of satellite, over Fairfield, CT (metro NY airspace)

Observing stars, aircraft (landing at metro NY airports - and White Plains) and tracking satellites for many, many years, this is the FIRST time I was amazed at a completely unrecognizable sighting. It was DEFINITELY NOT a falling star as it did not lose altitude but swept across the night sky with a speed I have never seen.  It was the size of a satellite, to the observer of such, a came out of the south (from the direction of the NY airports), but at the height of a satellite) with great speed (also unlike tracking a satellite) headed north.  I followed the sighting for a few seconds until it was no longer visible then turned quickly toward the west and saw the same thing, for perhaps two seconds.  I am not sure that what I saw for a second heading west was also the same object but since I was keeping a careful eye in the sky was also able to catch that brief sighting.  The entire three or four second event (including three seconds from south to north and one or two in the west)was an object very high in the sky the size of satellite.  However, it was differentiated by the speed.
I am an educated woman (Smith College graduate) who studied astronomy and has visited numerous observatories. I was taught by my Smith College astronomy professor to identify satellites from the Smith observatory on top of the science building. This event was unlike anything I have ever seen.