Do you remember that metal ring that fell from the sky? We still don’t know where it came from

It’s been two weeks since a chunky metal ring crashed into a village in Kenya, but authorities are still unable to pinpoint its source. The falling object raises concerns about how difficult it is to track space debris and hold those responsible accountable.

The Kenya Space Agency (Saudi Arabia) is still investigating the origin of the object A mysterious object fell from the sky to Mukoko village in Makueni District during the early hours of Monday, December 30, 2024. However, as of today, the origin of the oval-shaped object remains a mystery. Although it was initially assumed that the ring was space debris, there is little evidence linking it to a specific rocket or satellite.

The metal ring is approximately 8 feet (2.5 meters) wide, and weighs approximately 1,100 pounds (500 kg). Early assessment indicated that the object is a spacer ring, a component used to attach payloads to rockets during launch, ensuring they are placed in orbit before the ring returns to Earth. Breakaway rings are generally designed to burn up on reentry through Earth’s atmosphere, or break up into smaller pieces that fall into uninhabited areas of the ocean.

In a statement Posted on X, the Kenya Space Agency denied rumors that the Indian Space Research Organization was responsible for the object, and rejected claims that there would be compensation for village residents. “Kenya Space Agency and relevant authorities are dealing with the matter to ensure a comprehensive and accurate assessment. We advise the public to be cautious about such reports and wait for the official findings.

Another culprit was later His nameObject 33155 (2008-034C), Ariane SYLDA converter from Flight V184. SYLDA is a hollow shell placed on top of one payload so that another payload can be placed on top, and this particular payload was launched on July 7, 2008. After its launch, SYLDA was left in a geostationary transfer orbit, and is said to have re-entered on December 30 ( on the same day as the ring incident), according to the Space Force’s Orbital Tracking Unit.

Again, this is just speculation. “The Space Force’s ability to track objects at such very low inclinations is weak once objects reach low-altitude orbit, which explains the lack of tracking in the last week,” says Jonathan McDowell, a Harvard-Smithsonian astrophysicist and expert in space tracking. books In a blog post. “This means we can’t be really confident about when and where it re-enters, especially if Space Force estimates are really just an extrapolation of data from the previous week.”

The lack of evidence prompted McDowell to wonder whether this object had fallen from space. He added: “It has been said that the ring is space debris, but the evidence is marginal.” “I’m not entirely convinced that the ring is space debris at all.”

Marco Langbroek, a lecturer in astrodynamics at Delft Technical University in the Netherlands, agrees that the metal ring likely did not come from the Ariane rocket’s SYLDA adapter. However, he points to other evidence that suggests it is space debris. “Apart from the metal ring in the images, other fragments that appear consistent with space debris, for example what looks like a carbon shell and insulation foil, were found several kilometers away from it,” Langbroek said. books In a blog.

The continuing mystery around the source of the metal ring highlights the growing risk of falling space debris, the origin of which can sometimes be difficult to trace. In March 2023, a cylindrical object weighing two pounds It crashed into the roof of a house in Florida. The object was later It was identified as a fallen piece of a massive platform of old batteries Launched by NASA from the International Space Station in March 2021, it flies through the Earth’s atmosphere. The family whose home was affected filed a lawsuit against NASA for property damage. However, if the space debris is not claimed, there will likely be no repercussions for any damage done.

On average, 200 to 400 man-made objects re-enter Earth’s atmosphere each year, so the chances of space junk reaching inhabited areas are slim, but still not zero. The regulations governing this type of accident are not entirely robust. The 1972 Liability Convention stipulates that the launching state is responsible for paying compensation for any damage caused by its space object, whether in orbit or on Earth. However, the convention states that a company or organization is only liable for its space debris if it is negligent in some way, but it fails to define what would constitute negligence in this case.

Things get a little less clear when it comes to unclaimed pieces of debris, as evidenced by the mysterious ring that went down in Kenya.