Space Junk Crashes in Africa

[Puddenchucker]

A 500kg space 'junk' ring has crashed into a part of Kenya:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyn9dgdwe3o

Why didn't this burn-up during re-entry?

Also, I thought components of rocket & space craft or satelites were usually made as light of possible out of some exotic and expensive materials?
500kg, if accurate, seems a lot for someting of that size.

Surely, a bit of metal that big would have been tracked? i'm aware there's a lot orbiting up there, but that must be one of the bigger bits?

Personally, I'm not entirely convinced this is space junk, but I'm no expert.

Edited by Puddenchucker on Sunday 12th January 18:39

[fly by wire]

Looking at that, the starter motor must have been some size.

[Stick Legs]

fly by wire said:

Looking at that, the starter motor must have been some size.

[Beati Dogu]

Looks like a tank turret ring. I know Russian tanks like to launch their turrets, but I didn't think they'd get that far from Ukraine.

[cuprabob]

This was discussed on another thread a week or so ago when it happened and one of the biggest surprises was that Kenya has a space agency.

[Beati Dogu]

Our dumb government probably pays for it.

[Magicmushroom666]

Looks more like a crane slew ring to me, surely no need for something so heavy and beefy for flight?

[LivLL]

fly by wire said:

Looking at that, the starter motor must have been some size.

[DeejRC]

It’s a sep ring boys, nothing to get overly excited about.

[Silvanus]

DeejRC said:

It’s a sep ring boys, nothing to get overly excited about.

Unless it hits you in it's way down

[OldGermanHeaps]

Beati Dogu said:

Our dumb government probably pays for it.

It beggars belief that we send foreign aid to countries with their own space program.

[s1962a]

OldGermanHeaps said:

It beggars belief that we send bribes foreign aid to countries with their own space program.

[s1962a]

How can the "people who designed it" ensure it falls over unpopulated areas, and not just hope for the best that it doesn't kill anyone?

[ChocolateFrog]

What struck me was how no one really cares because it came down outside an African village.

Imagine if it had landed just outside Chadlington. There would be an outcry.

[DeejRC]

Weeeeeeell, the reports do indicate that the locals of the village and area care about it. The wider world has reported on it fairly well - which, for a bit of metal in a remote African village is a fair bit of coverage.
Something falling in the middle of a well populated area in the UK will get a lot more coverage from the UK media, but I doubt the Kenyan media will be covering it much.
Whatsmore this sep ring is nothing to do with the UK.

[Aunty Pasty]

s1962a said:

How can the "people who designed it" ensure it falls over unpopulated areas, and not just hope for the best that it doesn't kill anyone?

They don't. They rely on probability that it will land in the ocean or in a non built up area.

[ChocolateFrog]

Substitute UK village for a US one then.

[Terminator X]

OldGermanHeaps said:

Beati Dogu said:

Our dumb government probably pays for it.

It beggars belief that we send foreign aid to countries with their own space program.

Seems a simple fix when you find a £22bn black hole but no, more taxes clearly needed.

TX.

[Stick Legs]

Magicmushroom666 said:

Looks more like a crane slew ring to me, surely no need for something so heavy and beefy for flight?

I’m pretty sure there’s nothing on a rocket that doesn’t need to be there.

After all, it’s not brain surgery.

https://youtu.be/THNPmhBl-8I?si=fxjufOczCBIaQS0N

[eharding]

ChocolateFrog said:

Substitute UK village for a US one then.

Happens regularly in the US - at least two instances of space debris hitting homes last year, one in Florida and one in North Carolina. Lawsuits issued for the damage to property, but no "outcry" as such (otherwise you might have noticed it)