An unexpected incident unfolded in Naples, Florida, when a piece of debris from the International Space Station (ISS) crashed into the home of Alejandro Otero on March 8. The metallic object tore through the roof, passing through two floors and narrowly missing Otero's son.
NASA has confirmed that the debris originated from a cargo pallet fragment that was jettisoned from the ISS in 2021. Space enthusiasts had previously identified the object based on its trajectory and the timing of its fall, matching official predictions for the atmospheric burn-up of the fragment carrying old batteries.
In a recent blog post, NASA detailed the findings, revealing that the debris was a stanchion from the agency's flight support equipment used to mount batteries on the cargo pallet. The object is composed of the metal alloy Inconel, weighs 1.6 pounds (0.7 kilograms), and measures 4 inches (10 centimeters) in height and 1.6 inches in diameter.
The space agency is currently investigating how the debris survived atmospheric entry, as such objects are typically destroyed upon re-entry. NASA has pledged to update its engineering models to prevent similar incidents in the future, emphasizing its commitment to minimizing risks to people on Earth when space hardware is released.
This incident adds to a series of events where space debris has impacted Earth, including a 2022 occurrence involving a SpaceX Dragon capsule landing on an Australian sheep farm and debris from the Skylab space station falling in Western Australia in 1979.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
