A 1,100-pound piece of rocket debris plummeted to the Earth this week and smashed into a village in Kenya, officials in that country said on New Year's Day.
A metallic ring measuring about 8 feet "fell from the skies" and landed in Mukuku Village in Makueni County on Monday, the Kenya Space Agency said in a statement. Agency officials raced to the scene Tuesday morning to secure the area and retrieve the space debris, which is now in the agency's custody for investigation.
The debris came from a "space object," officials said — and early indications are the fallen object was a separation ring from a rocket.
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"Such objects are usually designed to burn up as they re-enter the Earth's atmosphere or to fall over unoccupied areas, such as the oceans. This is an isolated case, which the Agency will investigate and address using the established framework under the International Space Law," the agency said.
The debris poses no immediate threat to safety, officials said.
"Our experts will analyze the object, its existing frameworks to identify the owner, and keep the public informed of the next steps and outcomes," the space agency added.
