By Joe Fisher.
A metallic subject which fell from the sky at Mukuku Village in Makueni County. Image: Stephen Nzioka.
The Kenya Space Agency on Wednesday identified a large metal object that fell from space earlier this week to likely be a separation ring from a rocket launch.
The space agency addressed the situation in a press release, assuring that there is no threat to public safety. The object, weighing more than 1,000 pounds, landed in Mukuku Village, Makueni County, in southern Kenya on Monday.
“On receipt of the information on the morning of Tuesday — KSA officials rushed to the scene and, working alongside a multi-agency team and local authorities, secured the area and retrieved the debris, which is now under the Agency’s custody for further investigation,” the statement said.
The separation ring from a rocket launch is typically designed to either burn up upon re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere or to land in the ocean or another unoccupied area.
The agency said this incident is an “isolated case” and it will address it under the process of International Space Law.
The sound of the object landing could be heard as far as 30 miles away, drawing the attention of witnesses who rushed to the scene and posted photos online. The ring is about 8 feet in diameter.