The origin of a huge piece of space junk that washed up on a WA beach earlier this month is a mystery no more, with authorities confirming it came from an Indian rocket.
State and federal agencies spent a little over two weeks working to find exactly where the large metallic cylinder discovered near Green Head, 50km north of Perth on the state’s Mid West coast, came from.
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On Monday the Australian Space Agency (ASA) confirmed what many space enthusiasts had theorised, concluding it was “most likely debris from an expended third-stage of a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle”.
“The PSLV is a medium-lift launch vehicle operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation,” the agency said.
The ASA previously flagged the device could be part of a space vehicle, while authorities were quick to say they were working on the premise the barnacle-encrusted and rusty item was debris from a rocket after it was found by a member of the public on July 15.
The ASA said the debris remained in storage and that it was working with the ISRO, “who will provide further confirmation to determine next steps, including considering obligations under the United Nations space treaties”.
“If the community spots any further suspected debris, they should report it to local authorities and notify the Australian Space Agency,” the ASA said.
“The Australian Space Agency is committed to the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, including debris mitigation, and continues to highlight this on the international stage.”
The item was dubbed an “unidentified floating object” and is understood to have been at sea for months before washing up in WA, based on its condition.
Experts cleared the item of presenting any danger to the public after initially fearing it could be carcinogenic and a risk to those who posed for photos by it.
An analysis by the Department of Fire and Emergency Service and Chemistry Centre of Western Australia determined the object was safe.
“This includes those who have come into contact with the object prior to it being reported to police,” authorities said.
Police set up an exclusion zone on the beach before the item was relocated to a secret location.
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