A chunk of space debris found in N.C. came from a SpaceX capsule, NASA says

4 months ago

The trunk is at the base of the Crew Dragon spacecraft, under where the astronauts sit, and is typically used to carry cargo. It is covered in solar panels that provide power “during flight and while on-station,” according to SpaceX’s website.

That section of the vehicle is jettisoned shortly before the capsule re-enters Earth’s atmosphere. NASA said the trunk was expected to burn up fully in the atmosphere, but its discovery, along with several others, suggest parts of the vehicle are capable of surviving the fiery trip.

SpaceX did not immediately return a request for comment.

The piece Clontz found was charred and covered in carbon fiber weaving. It weighs about 90 pounds — too awkward and big for one person to carry — and he said he wasn’t initially sure if it was safe to touch.

“It’s just something that you don’t normally see,” Clontz said. “I’ve seen spaceships and stuff on TV, but the average person doesn’t get to see it up close.”

Some smaller pieces of debris were also found in two residents’ yards in nearby towns, according to local news reports.

In its statement, NASA said it was “unaware of any structural damage or injuries resulting from these findings.”

The charred slab of debris that came from a SpaceX capsule

NASA said the debris was from SpaceX’s Crew-7 mission, which launched to space on Aug. 26, 2023, then returned after a six-month expedition at the space station.

Last month, a piece of suspected trunk debris from a separate SpaceX mission was found in a farmer’s field in Saskatchewan, Canada, according to NASA.

An uncrewed SpaceX mission to deliver supplies to the space station also resulted in debris falling over Saudi Arabia, the agency said.

Debris from a Crew Dragon trunk landed in Colorado last year, as well, and a similar incident occurred in 2022 in Australia, NASA said.

A 1.6-pound piece of metal space debris — though not from a SpaceX vehicle — tore through a home in Naples, Florida, in March. It came from a cargo pallet that had been intentionally released from the International Space Station.

A metal object that had been used to mount International Space Station batteries on a cargo pallet struck a home in Naples, Florida, on March 8.

The Florida family who owns the home is suing NASA over the damage, and alleging the incident also caused them emotional stress.

In response to questions about that lawsuit, Jimi Russell, a public affairs officer for NASA’s space operations, said in an email that it “would not be appropriate for NASA to comment on a pending claim.”

It’s common for space agencies and companies to let defunct hardware burn up in the atmosphere, but occasionally some pieces do survive re-entry. Although it's rare for space debris to fall over populated areas, given that most of the planet is covered in ocean, the recent events raise questions about whether that risk may grow as launches to space become more frequent.

NASA said that if people encounter what they suspect is SpaceX debris, they can contact the company’s debris hotline (1-866-623-0234 or recovery@spacex.com).

A Crew Dragon capsule — with its trunk section attached — is currently parked at the International Space Station. NASA said that spacecraft is expected to return to Earth with its crew later this summer.

The agency said it plans to work with SpaceX to explore “additional solutions as we learn from the discovered debris.”

“NASA and SpaceX remain committed to safeguarding the public, astronauts, and ground crews,” the agency said.

Clontz said the space debris chunk is now on display at The Glamping Collective behind a glass case. So far, neither SpaceX nor NASA has asked to retrieve it, he said.

“Every time I go look at it, I think how cool it is,” Clontz said. “To think that it launched from Florida, went to outer space and came back down and a piece of it flew off right over North Carolina is pretty cool.”