NASA Confirms Origin of Space Debris that Hit Naples Home
An analysis conducted by NASA at the Kennedy Space Center has confirmed the origin of a piece of debris that impacted a home in Naples. The object was released from the International Space Station (ISS) during a mission in March 2021, when NASA ground controllers used the ISS robotic arm to free a cargo pad containing old nickel hydride batteries. The hardware was expected to burn up completely during entry into Earth’s atmosphere on March 8, but one piece survived re-entry and landed in Naples.
NASA technicians completed an evaluation of the object’s dimensions and characteristics and determined that it was a NASA flight support equipment strut used to mount the batteries on the charging pad. The object, made of the metal alloy Inconel, weighs just under a kilo and measures 10 cm in height and 4 cm in diameter.
Space debris is a common occurrence in low Earth orbit, with thousands of objects of various sizes moving uncontrollably through space. While it may seem like a threat, the likelihood of space debris causing harm to anyone or property is very low. The only known person to have been hit by space debris, Lottie Williams of Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1996, did not suffer significant injuries.
Meteorite scares, on the other hand, are somewhat more common. The International Comet Quarterly, from Harvard University, compiles a list of meteorite impacts that have punctured roofs of vehicles and homes, even injuring some occupants. However, these incidents rarely result in significant harm.
NASA remains committed to operating responsibly in low Earth orbit and continues to update models and analyses to mitigate the risk of space debris impacting Earth. Despite the occasional scare, the likelihood of space debris causing harm remains minimal.