A huge metal ring fell from the sky and crashed into a village in Kenya. Early tests of fallen space debris suggested it may have come from a rocket, with debris still present on re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.
The Kenya Space Agency is investigating an incident involving metal fragments that fell in Mukuku Village in Makueni County on Monday at 7am ET, according to a statement. No injuries were reported, but the incident raises concerns about the growing threat of space debris landing in populated areas.
Kenyan officials and the Kenya Space Agency (KSA) are investigating a metal ring, believed to be part of a rocket, that hit Mukuku village in Makueni County on December 30. It is believed to be… pic.twitter.com/kVbpHiCEdT
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The metal ring is 2.5 meters in diameter, and weighs 1,100 kilograms (500 kilograms), according to the Kenyan space agency. The object is believed to be a separation ring, the part used to attach payloads to rockets during launch, ensuring they are placed in orbit before the ring falls to Earth.
Separation rings are usually designed to burn up on re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. However, this one seemed to have survived the heat. The type of rocket is yet to be identified.
Kenya’s space agency secured the site and retrieved the metal ring, which is now in the agency’s custody for further investigation. “We want to assure the public that this object does not pose a security threat,” the Kenya Space Agency wrote. “Our experts will analyze the item, use the existing framework to identify the owner, and inform the public about the next steps and results.”
The incident in Kenya is the latest in a series of debris accidents in densely populated areas. In March 2023, a two-kilogram cylindrical object crashed through the roof of a house in Florida. This object has been identified as a fallen piece of a large pallet of old batteries that NASA dropped from the International Space Station in March 2021, and flew into the Earth’s atmosphere.
The risk of falling space debris is an indicator of the growing space industry, as access to orbit is increasingly available to space agencies and private companies. A 2022 study predicted a 10% chance of one or more people being injured from falling rocket parts in the next decade.
Regulatory bodies currently lack enforcement mechanisms for the proper disposal of rocket parts and defunct spacecraft through controlled re-entry, which would direct space debris to remote locations. The latest incident highlights the need for stricter traffic laws to protect people and property.
