Huge piece of suspected space debris discovered in Australian desert

A large section of suspected space debris has been discovered in a remote part of the Australian desert, the country’s space agency confirmed Monday.

The charred and smoking object was discovered in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, according to the Australian Space Agency. It’s not yet clear what it is or where it came from, but officials said it’s likely a used rocket part.

“The debris is likely a propellant tank or pressure vessel from a space launch vehicle,” the Australian Space Agency wrote in an article on X.

The agency did not provide details on the size or weight of the object, but wrote that it was working with local authorities and other space agencies to investigate and determine “the exact nature of the debris and its origin.”

The agency did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for more information.

The object was discovered on a remote access road by workers at a nearby mine on Saturday, according to a report by Sky News, which said local authorities did not believe the debris posed a threat to public safety. NBC News has not independently confirmed these details. (Sky News is a division of Comcast, the parent company of NBC News.)

Government space agencies and private space companies often leave parts of spent or defunct rockets and satellites to burn in the atmosphere in order to destroy them. Sometimes, however, parts can survive the fiery process of atmospheric reentry. Still, it’s relatively rare for space debris to fall on land, given that the planet is mostly covered in oceans — and even rarer for pieces to fall on densely populated areas.

In recent years, however, experts have expressed concerns about the growing problem of space debris, especially as launches into orbit have become more frequent.

Last summer, a 90-pound patch of space debris was discovered on a mountain trail in North Carolina. It was later identified as part of the service module of a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule that had brought four astronauts back to Earth from the International Space Station earlier that year.

In March 2024, a 1.6 pound piece of metal tore through a house in Naples, Florida. A subsequent investigation revealed that the metal debris came from a cargo pallet intentionally released from the International Space Station to burn in the atmosphere.

Tens of thousands of pieces of space debris – and millions of other smaller orbital debris – are crowded in low-Earth orbit, the narrow band of space where many communications and GPS satellites circle the planet. These objects fly in orbit at up to 18,000 mph, threatening operating spacecraft and posing safety risks to astronauts on the International Space Station.

For these reasons, experts have long warned of space overpopulation. NASA and other space agencies have even funded research and technology demonstrations on how to clean up the vast amount of trash in orbit.

The Australian Space Agency said on X that it is “committed to the long-term sustainability of space activities, including debris reduction, and continues to emphasize this internationally.”