A large golden cylindrical object encrusted with barnacles, which recently washed up on a beach in Western Australia, puzzled local authorities. They are still trying to figure out what kind of object it is. The first signs indicate that this is space debris.
Whatever it was, the cylinder, which had a domed shape, was discovered by locals at Green Head beach, located about 190 kilometers north of Perth. One of the locals who stumbled upon the find described it as about 2.5 meters wide and 3 meters high, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Therefore, it is quite an impressive piece of metal debris.
Until its exact origin is established, the Western Australian police, who guard the site of the discovery, warned vacationers to stay away from the beach. Law enforcement agencies have stated that the mysterious garbage is considered as potentially dangerous. Although further analysis has shown that it does not pose a threat to society.
The Australian Space Agency refrains from commenting on what kind of object it might be. They only noted that the object could be part of a foreign space launch vehicle. The agency adds that it is now making inquiries regarding this object.
But Internet detectives have already outstripped the authorities. If they are to be believed, it seems that this object may be the dropped third stage of one of the Indian multi-stage launch vehicles for launching polar satellites PLSV.
We are currently making enquiries related to this object located on a beach near Jurien Bay in Western Australia.
The object could be from a foreign space launch vehicle and we are liaising with global counterparts who may be able to provide more information.
[More in comments] pic.twitter.com/41cRuhwzZk
— Australian Space Agency (@AusSpaceAgency) July 17, 2023
Stephen Clark, space reporter for Ars Technica, explained that the third stage of the PLSV never reached orbital velocity, so it usually falls outside the launch site into the Indian Ocean. If the debris is correctly identified, it means it is unlikely to originate from India’s Chandryaan 3 lunar mission, which uses a different launch vehicle.
Confirming this theory, aviation expert Geoffrey Thomas told the BBC that the object could be a fuel tank from a rocket that fell into the ocean during the past year. Thomas also strongly dispelled the suggestion that the object could belong to the airliner MH370, which tragically disappeared somewhere off the west coast of Australia in 2014.
Earlier we reported on how a mysterious space object turned out to be a wreck of a SpaceX rocket.
Follow us on Twitter to get the most interesting space news in time
https://twitter.com/ust_magazine
