Space agencies are always monitoring and sometimes redirecting debris entering the Earth’s atmosphere to minimize the risk of damage. Most of the material burns up in the atmosphere, and what does make it to the surface usually lands in the ocean. However, this was not the case for a resident in Florida.
A cylindrical object crashed into a house in Naples, Florida, last month, breaking through two floors and narrowly missing a person inside. The homeowner is trying to find out who is responsible and suspects that the debris came from the international space station.
A safety bulletin from the European Space Agency (ESA) on March 7 warned that nine spent batteries from the ISS, totaling 2.6 metric tons – over 5,700 pounds – would enter the atmosphere the next day. This debris had been orbiting the Earth since January 2021 in a decaying orbit.
Estimated impact zone (European Space Agency)
Most of the estimated path was over the ocean, but it also covered areas of Mexico, Florida, Central Europe, and the Middle East. While the agency predicted that some pieces would survive reentry, the likelihood of injuries was considered “very low.”
After several revisions, the final estimated impact window was between 18:30 and 20:08 UTC. Astronomer Jonathan McDowell reported an impact at 19:29 UTC between the Gulf of Mexico and Cuba. However, Naples resident Alejandro Otero shared photos of a metal cylinder that crashed through his roof and two floors that day in response to McDowell. Otero was not home, but his son was.
Hello. Looks like one of those pieces missed Ft Myers and landed in my house in Naples. It tore through the roof and two floors, almost hitting my son. Can you please help me get in touch with NASA? I have left messages and emails without a response. pic.twitter.com/Yi29f3EwyV
– Alejandro Otero (@Alejandro0tero) March 15, 2024
Thankfully, no one was injured, but the incident was too close for comfort. Otero’s security camera recorded the sound of the impact at 19:34 UTC – within the ESA’s window and only five minutes after McDowell’s reported time. Authorities have not confirmed that the object came from the ISS. This marks the second time in a few weeks that the ESA has reported an uncontrolled re-entry.
In February, officials confirmed the fall of a satellite that had been in a slowly decaying orbit since 2011. While the risk of damage or injury from space debris is not zero, bringing it back to Earth is considered safer than leaving it in space, where it could contribute to more space junk and pose a threat to future space travel. Otero believes that space agencies should take more measures to ensure that debris completely disintegrates in the atmosphere.
