BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — It’s been less than a week since NASA confirmed that the debris found in western North Carolina came from the trunk of a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. However, the mountains are not the only place where debris has fallen.
NASA also confirmed that debris fell from the trunk of the Axiom Mission 3 in Saskatchewan, Canada, in late February. A farmer found the pieces two months later.
“The farmer who found the first pieces, no one could get him to believe it was space junk for a few weeks,” Dr. Samantha Lawler, associate professor of astronomy at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, told News 13.
Lawler was at that farm just a few weeks ago when SpaceX employees came by to pick up the debris. They arrived in a U-Haul van and eventually identified themselves as SpaceX employees.
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“I had actually jokingly said, ‘Oh yeah, they’re going to rent a U-Haul, and then they did.’ It was so funny,” Lawler said.
It’s the lack of accountability that frustrates Lawler.
“The subtlety here is that it’s not SpaceX saying that, it’s NASA saying that about SpaceX,” Lawler said. “So SpaceX still hasn’t publicly acknowledged that the pieces are theirs… the pieces that fell in Saskatchewan. It’s actually a kind of roundabout, backwards form of recognition.”
The press release NASA sent exclusively to News 13 last week linked the debris found in the WNC mountains and in Canada to SpaceX. So far, News 13 viewers who found pieces of the Crew-7 suitcase say SpaceX has not been contacted.
“The Outer Space Treaty requires the U.S. government to provide compensation to anyone who receives damages from U.S. spacecraft, but it is not clear whether SpaceX would have to reimburse the government,” Lawler said. “This is a completely gray area and will be tested. Soon, I’m sure.”
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According to Lawler, SpaceX voluntarily paid the farmer in Saskatchewan a sum of several thousand Canadian dollars. Lawler said SpaceX didn’t have to do that because there was no damage or injury in this case.
With another Dragon spacecraft docked at the International Space Station (ISS), the question shifts to how we can prevent debris from falling back into population centers. To have controlled de-orbit, Lawler said it would require money and regulation.
An additional engine or rocket would have to be added, which she said would increase weight and increase the chance of failure. In short, it’s complicated. However, Lawler said it’s an issue worth exploring because she’s seen a calculation showing there’s a “few” percent chance of a casualty on the ground each year.
Lawler issued the following statement:
“Over the course of 10 years, it’s virtually guaranteed that someone will die from space debris and that’s terrible. It’s terrible that we’re in that situation, and I’m really worried that it will take countries to regulate space debris more carefully.”
In related news, a Florida family is suing NASA after they say a metal object fell through their home. NASA said it came from the ISS. The family’s lawyers said the case could open the doors to claims against damages from incoming space debris in the future, according to CNN Newsource.
NASA’s recent statement included information for the SpaceX Debris Hotline.
“In the unlikely event that you find a piece of space debris, do not attempt to handle or retrieve it. Instead, contact the SpaceX Debris Hotline at 1-866-623-0234 or at recovery@spacex.com. “