Burning space debris that crashed to Earth in outback Australia is likely part of a Chinese rocket launched in September, according to leading space archaeologist Alice Gorman. The object, made of metal and carbon fibre, was spotted by miners near Newman, Western Australia on Saturday afternoon.
Gorman, a Flinders University associate professor, identified the debris as possibly the fourth stage of a Jielong rocket. “There was one launched in late September. If it is the one from the 25th, that means it’s been orbiting the Earth for a bit and then came out of the blue,” she said. Police confirmed the object's characteristics are consistent with known space re-entry debris.
Authorities, including the Australian Space Agency and Western Australian emergency services, are investigating. The European Space Agency's director general, Josef Aschbacher, recently highlighted the growing issue of space junk, urging operators to ensure spacecraft break up safely upon re-entry.
Gorman stressed the need for end-of-life plans for rockets, noting that uncontrolled re-entries should be designed to burn up completely. However, fuel tanks made of durable materials like carbon fibre can survive re-entry, posing risks to people and property.
