A metallic object measuring around 11 feet in diameter has been discovered in a Minnesota cornfield, and investigators believe it may be space debris. The Stevens County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a "foreign" object in a field in Scott Township at approximately 3:30 p.m. on October 14.
Investigation Underway
Sheriff Jason Dingman said several agencies are assisting in determining the object's origin, though local authorities have received limited information. "There are several various agencies assisting in the determination of origin of this object," Dingman told reporters on Friday. "We're not getting fed much information either and what info we do get is pretty cryptic. So I think somebody way up the food chain above my head knows what this thing is but they are not even telling us."
Dingman said he could not identify the federal agencies involved because the investigation is ongoing. Officials told KARE 11 that serial numbers are visible on the object, which could help investigators identify its manufacturer or trace its origins.
No Danger to Public
Authorities have stressed that the discovery poses no danger to the public. Space debris can include defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, and fragments created when spacecraft break apart or collide, according to NASA. Some of these objects eventually fall back toward Earth as their orbits decay.
The discovery has also caught the attention of local residents. Chokio resident Tena Wilts told the Star Tribune she spotted the object on Thursday while driving to her parents' home, about three miles from the field. She said it appeared "very large" compared with trucks nearby. "We had a tornado through the area a few weeks ago, so that came to mind. You hear about space garbage, too, so that comes to mind," she said.
Investigators have not publicly linked the object to a particular satellite, rocket, or space launch, and its origins remain unclear.
