Mystery object that washed up on Australian shore suspected to be space junk
A giant metal object washed up on Green Head beach in Australia and has been baffling police since its discovery.
The New York Times reported that authorities are investigating the object and have asked people to not “draw conclusions about the origins of the cylindrical object while it was being investigated.”
Despite this, some have reportedly speculated that the object could possibly be “from a military or commercial airplane, or even a spacecraft.”
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What does the mystery object look like?
The Guardian described the object as a “huge copper-coloured cylinder” that “looks to be substantially damaged and was found leaning on its side.”
A giant mysterious metal cylinder has left locals stumped after the debris appeared suddenly on the shoreline of WA's Midwest.
The huge metal object was found on a beach near Green Head on Sunday, with local residents reporting the suspicious item to police.
The item is… pic.twitter.com/XzUhAGznna— 10 News First Perth (@10NewsFirstPER) July 17, 2023
CBS News reported that Andrea Boyd, an engineer from the European Space Agency, said that her colleagues have speculated that the mystery object could be “from an Indian rocket while launching a satellite.”
“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,” Boyd reportedly told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
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What will happen to the mystery object?
“We want to reassure the community that we are actively engaged in a collaborative effort with various state and federal agencies to determine the object’s origin and nature,” the police said in a statement, according to the BBC.
Authorities in the area have reportedly cautioned the public to stay away from the object.
A statement from the police reportedly said, “This measure has been taken to ensure the preservation of potential evidence and facilitate further expert examination.”
CBS News reported that the protocol is that the country responsible for launching something into space is the country responsible for cleaning it up.
“There is a United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, and they have an Outer Space Treaty that everyone has signed saying that whoever launches something into space is responsible for it right until the very end,” Boyd said.
