Mystery object that washed up on Australian coast could be a piece of Indian rocket: Space experts
Melbourne (PTI): A dome-shaped mysterious object has washed up on a remote Australian beach, amid speculation that it could be from a 20-year-old Indian rocket that was used for launching a satellite.
The canister was discovered near the beach in Green Head in Western Australia (WA) about 250 kilometres north of the city of Perth on Saturday. When contacted by PTI, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) sources confirmed receipt of a formal communication from the Australian Space Agency. However, they did not provide the details.
The bizarre-looking object has been declared a piece of space junk, while national agencies, including the Australian Space Agency (ASA), continue working to identify its origin.
The copper-coloured bulky cylinder, which stands taller than a human, appears to be damaged at one end and is covered with barnacles, indicating that it has spent a significant amount of time at sea before washing up.
"We are currently making enquiries related to this object located on a beach near Jurien Bay in Western Australia. The object could be from a foreign space launch vehicle and we are liaising with global counterparts who may be able to provide more information," the ASA said in a series of tweets on Monday.
As the origin of the object is unknown, the community should avoid handling or attempting to move the object, it said, adding that if the community spot any further suspected debris they should report it to local authorities and notify the agency.
"We are committed to the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, including debris mitigation, and continue to highlight this on the international stage," the agency said.
In a statement, Western Australia Police said that it is believed the item is space debris and will be managed as such until it can be determined otherwise. However, a space expert says the object could be from a 20-year-old Indian rocket.
European Space Agency engineer Andrea Boyd said experts believed the item fell from an Indian rocket launching a satellite, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.
"We're pretty sure based on the shape and the size, it is an upper-stage engine from an Indian rocket that's used for a lot of different missions," she said.
"Based on the amount of barnacles, it's probably not the one from this year," she said. She said it could be 20 years old, the report added.
"But at the same time, when it gets thrown around the ocean it does tend to look older than it would normally."
Boyd said the engine was designed to fall off after the launch.
"It takes a lot of effort to get up to orbit, so the first and second and third stage (engines) usually fall off and end up in the Indian Ocean, so it's probably come from that with the currents and washed up on the beach," she said.
Within an hour of the first media report on the unusual find, many social media users already came up with a theory the object was a piece of space junk from an Indian rocket, the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported.
Space experts agreed, with Australian National University astrophysicist Dr Doris Grosse and Flinders University space archaeologist Dr Alice Gorman believing it was likely a fuel cylinder from the third stage of a launch by India's space agency, it said.
Some even theorised the debris could have come from a specific mission PSLV-CA C46 which launched in May 2019 and dropped some debris in the ocean to Australia's north-west and south-east, the report added.
Police earlier labelled the object as "hazardous" as they worked to identify if there was a risk to the community.
After analysis of the object, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services and the Chemistry Centre of WA found it posed no risk to the community. But Boyd said it was important people did not touch the object.
"It might still have some residual fuel and you just don't want to get people touching that," she said.
Western Australia Premier Roger Cook said the object could end up at the WA Museum.
"I did make the observation this morning that perhaps this will be an addition to the Sky Lab pieces that we have in the museum and might add to our growing collection of space debris that seems to be collecting in WA," he said.
Space debris both man-made and natural has a habit of coming down in WA's vast outback, although it is rare for it to be found washed up on the state's 12,895 kilometres of coastline. Most famously, the Skylab space station came hurtling back to Earth in 1979, with pieces of the rogue station found in the most remote of outback locations in Balladonia, north-east of Esperance in WA's south.
The local council hit NASA with a USD 400 littering fine, which reportedly remains unpaid. But scientists with their eyes trained on the skies have also recovered fragments of space rocks which have made it through the atmosphere and slammed into the ground in WA's outback.
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London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.
The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.
The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.
Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.
“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.
“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.
Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.
Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.
Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.
“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.
In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.
“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.
