Space Station Debris Hits Florida House, Owner Sues NASA | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-12.09.24

Airborne-NextGen-12.03.24

Airborne-Unlimited-12.04.24

Airborne Flt Training-12.05.24

Airborne-Unlimited-12.06.24

Sat, Jun 29, 2024

Space Station Debris Hits Florida House, Owner Sues NASA

Wants Space Agency to Pay for Damage

A homeowner in Naples, Florida, is suing NASA to have them pay for damages his house sustained when a piece of debris from the International Space Station (ISS) did not burn up in the atmosphere as it was planned to do.

A chunk of melted and partially disintegrated metal went through the roof and penetrated two floors below, according to Mica Nguyen Worthy, the attorney for homeowner Alejandro Otero and his family. Mr. Otero said the object nearly hit his son.

NASA examined the 1.6-pound cylindrical object and confirmed that it had in fact come from the ISS. The agency said it was a stanchion from the supporting structure that attached old nickel hydride batteries to a pallet. The entire load weighing 5,800 pounds was discarded from the space station in 2021 and was expected to burn up in the atmosphere, according to engineers. The load’s orbit gradually decayed and it finally entered the atmosphere earlier this year, but the piece that struck Otero’s house had somehow survived the intense heat of its plunge from space.

Ms. Worthy said, “Space debris is a real and serious issue because of the increase in space traffic in recent years. My clients are seeking adequate compensation to account for the stress and impact that this event had on their lives. They are grateful that no one sustained physical injuries from this incident, but a ‘near miss’ situation such as this could have been catastrophic. If the debris had hit a few feet in another direction, there could have been serious injury or a fatality.”

The International Space Station jettisons waste and spent materials from time to time and it is planned to burn up and disintegrate upon reentering the Earth’s atmosphere. Larger objects like spent booster rockets or other components of spacecraft or satellites at the end of their lifetimes will drift in orbit, sometimes for years and most of those also burn up when their orbits eventually decay and they burn up in the atmosphere. Occasionally, parts of the largest objects do survive the plunge, only to splash down in water or impact land in sparsely inhabited areas.

FMI: www.nasa.gov

Advertisement

More News

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (12.07.24): Ultralight Vehicle

Ultralight Vehicle A single-occupant aeronautical vehicle operated for sport or recreational purposes which does not require FAA registration, an airworthiness certificate, or pilo>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (12.07.24)

Aero Linx: 1-26 Association The Association’s goal is to foster the helpfulness, the camaraderie, and the opportunity for head-to-head competition that is found in One Design>[...]

Airborne 12.02.24: Electra FG EIS, Prez Osprey Problems, Starship Wants 25

Also: EAA Ray Foundation, MagniX Records, Ruko U11MINI Drone, RCAF PC-21s Elektra Solar recently put the first aircraft from its Elektra Trainer Fixed-Gear (FG) family into service>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (12.08.24)

“Airline workers know far too well the devastating effects corporate bankruptcies have on the lives of hardworking Americans. Following 9/11, pilots, including myself, made e>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (12.08.24): Approach Speed

Approach Speed The recommended speed contained in aircraft manuals used by pilots when making an approach to landing. This speed will vary for different segments of an approach as >[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2024 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC