SPACE JUNK

Mysterious item washed up on Australian beach identified

Allanah Sciberras

 Jul 31 2023

A mysterious item found washed up on a beach near Jurien Bay in Western Australia earlier this month is likely space junk from an Indian rocket.

The acorn-shaped object stunned authorities when it washed ashore at Green Head, about 220 kilometres north of Perth on June 16.

The Australian Space Agency believes the object was most likely debris from an "expended third-stage of a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle".

In a statement, the agency said medium-lift launch vehicle was operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

"The debris remains in storage and the Australian Space Agency is working with ISRO, who will provide further confirmation to determine next steps, including considering obligations under the United Nations space treaties," the agency said.

9NEWS
The object washed up on beach near Green Head, WA earlier this month.

Space lawyer and professor Melissa de Zwart told 9news.com.au last week that the object was a unique discovery.

"It is quite amazing that something this large has washed up," she said.

"It's quite interesting that this has happened."

Although it's pretty rare, space junk has been found scattered across Australia over the past years.

In October last year, rocket fragments linked to SpaceX were discovered in the NSW Snowy Mountains.

Nasa believes there are about 100 million pieces of debris orbiting the earth that are smaller than a millimetre and about 23,000 pieces larger than a softball.

This story was originally published on 9news and is republished with permission.