Stupor and questions. A mysterious object, – a metal ring weighing half a ton –, crashed in an area rural Kenya on December 30, revealed various local media, notably taken up by TV5 Monde.
Local authorities and Kenya Space Agency (KSA) confirmed that it was space debris, reigniting debates on the risks linked to the proliferation of orbital waste.
In Nyandarua County, residents witnessed this impressive phenomenon: the fall of a solid metal ringwhich created a loud noise on impact. This large cylinder, weighing nearly 500 kgimmediately attracted the attention of residents and authorities.
Space debris?
According to testimonies from TV5 Monde, the object, industrial in appearance and engraved with technical marks, did not resemble anything known in the region. A local official described the scene as “ surrealistleaving locals both fascinated and worried.”
The editorial team advises you
“Space debris fallout is not only a scientific curiosity, it poses a growing public safety problem. »
After an initial assessment, theKenya Space Agency (KSA) confirmed that the object likely came from a spacecraft. The favored hypothesis is that it is a rocket or satellite element that disintegrated upon re-entering the Earth's atmosphere.
Growing risks
The object could thus be linked to a recent launch of a satellite or rocketalthough authorities have not yet identified precisely which mission he belonged to. This type of debris, often made of metal, resists atmospheric decay, explaining why it reached the ground.
The editorial team advises you
This phenomenon revives concerns around dangers linked to space debris. According to experts from l'ESA (European Space Agency), more than 36,000 objects of significant size currently orbit the Earth, and this number continues to grow with the multiplication of launches.
“The fallout from space debris is not only scientific curiosities, they pose a growing problem for public safety,” warns a specialist interviewed by TV5 Monde.
