Mysterious Object From International Space Station Crashes Into Florida Home
An object believed to be from the International Space Station (ISS) has fallen from the sky and into someone’s home, a Florida man claimed. Alejandro Otero from Florida says the cylindrical object crashed two-floors deep into his house and almost hit his son.
Florida Man’s Encounter with Space Debris
Astronomer Jonathan McDowell, who roughly tracked the reentry of the debris, initially said the EP-9 equipment pallet reentered on March 8 at 7:29 pm UTC over the Gulf of Mexico between Cancun and Cuba.
Astounding Size of the EP-9 Equipment Pallet
The EP-9 equipment pallet, about the size of an SUV, is the largest object to have ever been thrown out from the ISS. Launched to the ISS in May 2020, the pallet was used to replace old batteries with new lithium-ion batteries for the station’s solar energy storage.
The Dangers of Space Debris
Space debris is an umbrella term for any bit of junk and disused equipment stuck in Earth’s orbit. It poses significant risks to satellites and the ISS, where the crew occasionally have to maneuver out of the way of hurtling objects. In 2016, a fleck of paint even managed to chip a window in the ISS due to high speeds in Earth’s orbit.
Concerns About Reentering Payloads
Experts, including McDowell, agree more needs to be done to ensure that payload reentering Earth’s atmosphere is not a risk to people and property on the ground. Otero is now awaiting confirmation from NASA and the responsible agencies regarding the debris.
NASA’s Response
Engineers at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center will analyze the object as soon as possible to determine its origin. More information will be available once the analysis is complete. Experts emphasize the importance of ensuring that reentering payloads do not pose a threat to people or property.