A piece of space debris from the International Space Station crashed through the roof of a home in Naples, Florida in March 2024.
NASA had disposed of aging nickel-hydride batteries from the ISS in 2021 using its robotic arm, expecting them to burn up in the atmosphere, but one piece survived reentry.
After the homeowner contacted an astronomer, NASA analyzed the recovered 1.6 pound metal stanchion and confirmed it was from flight support equipment used to mount the batteries.
While debris reentries usually pose little risk, this event damaged the home’s roof and ceiling.
NASA said the ISS will investigate the unexpected survival and update its reentry models, as protecting people on Earth during space hardware releases is a priority for responsible low Earth orbit operations.
“The International Space Station will perform a detailed investigation of the jettison and re-entry analysis to determine the cause of the debris survival and to update modeling and analysis, as needed,” NASA said.
“NASA remains committed to responsibly operating in low Earth orbit, and mitigating as much risk as possible to protect people on Earth when space hardware must be released,” the agency said.
