It has been two weeks since a metal ring crashed into a village in Kenya. But officials are still unable to determine where it came from. The falling objects raise concerns about how difficult it is to track down space debris. and must be held accountable to those responsible
The Kenya Space Agency (KSA) is still investigating the origins of the spacecraft. Mysterious objects falling from the sky to Mukuku Village in Makueni District in the early morning hours of Monday, December 30, 2024. However, as of today, the origins of the oval-shaped fragment remain a mystery. Although it was initially assumed that the rings had been left behind by space debris, But there is little evidence linking it to any type of rocket or satellite.
The metal ring is approximately 2.5 meters wide and weighs approximately 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms). Initial assessments suggest that the object is a split ring. It is the component used to connect the payload to the rocket during launch. This ensures that the object will stay in orbit before the rings fall back to Earth. Fission rings are generally designed to burn up upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. or break into small pieces that fall into uninhabited areas of the ocean.
In the statement Posted on They dismissed claims that compensation would be given to village residents. “The Kenya Space Agency and relevant agencies are managing the matter to ensure a thorough and accurate assessment. We advise the public to be cautious regarding the report and wait for the official results,” KSA wrote on X.
Another culprit came later. nameObject 33155 (2008-034C) Ariane SYLDA Adapter from Flight V184 A SYLDA is a hollow shell that is placed over one payload so that another payload can be placed on top. and this one would launch on July 7, 2008. After launch, SYLDA was left in geostationary orbit and was reported to have re-entered on December 30 (the same day as the ring event). According to the Space Force's orbital tracking unit.
This is only a guess. “The Space Force's ability to track objects with very low inclinations is poor once the objects reach low-altitude orbit. This explains the lack of tracking in the final weeks,” said Jonathan McDowell, a Harvard-Smithsonian astrophysicist. Space Tracking Expert write In the blog post, “Which means we can't really be sure. When and where will it return? Especially if the Space Force's assessment is just an extrapolation of data from a week earlier.”
The lack of evidence has led McDowell to question whether the object fell from space. “It has been suggested that the rings are space debris. But the evidence is still scant,” he added. “I am not fully convinced that the ring is space debris at all.”
Marco Langbroek is a professor of astrophysics at Delft Technical University in the Netherlands. Acknowledging that the metal ring likely did not come from the Ariane rocket's SYLDA adapter, he pointed to other evidence, however. indicating that it is space debris. “Apart from the metal ring in the picture, Still found other parts. That looked consistent with space debris, such as what looked like separated sheets of carbon and foil. It is several kilometers away.” Langbrook write in the blog
An ongoing mystery surrounds the origin of the metal ring. Highlights the increased risk of falling space debris. Their origins are sometimes difficult to trace. In March 2023, a 2-pound cylindrical object Crashed into the roof of a house in Florida– The object occurred later. It was determined that a large quantity of old batteries had fallen. that NASA launched from the International Space Station in March 2021, sending it flying through Earth's atmosphere Families in affected homes are suing NASA for property damage, however, if the space debris is not claimed. It should not have any effect on any damage that occurs.
On average An estimated 200 to 400 man-made objects return to Earth's atmosphere every year. Therefore, the chances of space junk ending up in inhabited areas are very small. But it's still not zero. The regulations governing this type of event are not very strict. The 1972 Liability Convention states that countries that emit gas must pay compensation for any damages. caused by space objects Whether in orbit or on Earth, however, the Convention stipulates that a company or institution will only be liable for its space fraction if it is negligent in some way. But it does not specify what will be considered negligence in that case.
Things are becoming less clear when it comes to the unclaimed fragments. As seen from the mysterious ring that fell in Kenya.