#SpaceX #debris #Australian #sheep #paddock
A charred chunk of space junk sticking out of a paddock owned by an Australian sheep farmer was confirmed Thursday by authorities to be part of one of Elon Musk’s SpaceX missions.
The ethereal-looking debris believed to have fallen to Earth on July 9 was found last week in Dalgety – a remote area near Australia’s Snowy Mountains, about a five-hour drive south-west of Sydney.
“It was kind of exciting and weird, all in the same way,” astrophysicist Brad Tucker, who visited the site after local farmers contacted him last month, told AFP.
He said that finding the large chunk nestled in an empty field reminded him of something from the sci-fi film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
“It’s amazing to see.”
The Australian Space Agency issued a statement confirming the debris came from one of Musk’s missions and urging locals to report any further finds to SpaceX.
“The agency has confirmed that the debris originated from a SpaceX mission and continues to work with our colleagues in the US, as well as other parts of the Commonwealth and local authorities as appropriate,” said a spokesman for the Australian Space Agency.
Tucker said the piece was part of a fuselage ejected from the earlier Crew-1 capsule when it reentered Earth’s atmosphere in 2021.
He said the trunk split upon re-entry, with reports of other space junk also found on nearby properties making further discoveries related to the SpaceX mission likely.
Most of the space debris splashes out to sea, but as the space industry expands worldwide, the amount that crashes on Earth would likely increase, he added.
“We need to be aware that there is a likely risk of it once striking a populated area and what that means.”
The Australian Space Agency said it is working to mitigate debris and has raised the issue internationally.
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