Space Debris Found on Canadian Farm
In a surprising incident, a massive piece of charred metal, suspected to be space debris, fell on a farm in Saskatchewan, Canada. The farmer who discovered the metal is now planning to sell it to fund the construction of a hockey rink in his hometown.
Discovery of the Space Debris
The heavy 40-kilogram piece of charred metal, composed of burned composite fibres and webbing, was found by farmer Barry Sawchuk on his farm.
Connection to SpaceX’s Spacecraft
Local reports indicate that the metal was linked to a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft’s reentry in February. The spacecraft had undocked from the International Space Station and landed in the Pacific Ocean before the crew returned to Earth.
Previous Incidents
This is not the first time suspected SpaceX debris has landed in a populated area. A similar incident occurred in Australia in July 2022.
Impact of the Space Industry
With the space industry expanding, the risk of encountering falling spacecraft debris has increased. Despite the potential dangers, farmer Sawchuk remains undeterred and plans to donate some of the proceeds from selling the space junk to support the construction of a hockey rink in Saskatchewan.
