A cylindrical object, identified as part of a Chinese rocket, fell on private property in Puerto Tirol. Authorities cordoned off the area due to the possible presence of hydrazine, a fuel harmful to health. Credit: Diario Chaco. The tranquility of Thursday afternoon was interrupted in Campo Rossi, a rural area of Puerto Tirol in the province of Chaco, when neighbors reported a metallic object that had crashed in a field. The device, which had apparently fallen from the sky, was identified as a rocket fuel tank, triggering a security operation due to its potentially toxic contents. The owner of the property, Ramón Ricardo González, immediately notified the police at the Puerto Tirol Police Station. Upon arrival, officers confirmed the presence of a cylinder measuring 1.70 meters long by 1.20 meters in diameter, made of carbon fiber and with a serial number engraved on its surface. Credit: Diario Chaco. Given the nature of the discovery, the Metropolitan Fire Department intervened to rule out any risk of explosion. After the inspection, a security perimeter was established, warning the population not to approach or touch possible remains due to the risk of poisoning. Authorities explained that carbon fiber could release a toxic dust to the touch and that these types of tanks, known as COPVs (high-pressure fuel tanks wrapped in fiber), usually carry hydrazine, a fuel that is highly harmful to health. Credit: Infobae. Space junk Made in China Although local residents’ initial hypotheses pointed to a fragment of a SpaceX rocket, Elon Musk’s company, research and analysis by international experts suggest another origin. The most solid theory indicates that it is a piece of the Chinese Jielong 3 rocket, a satellite launch vehicle that was launched into orbit last Wednesday from a barge off the coast of China. The trajectory of this rocket coincides with the sighting of a strange, glowing object that crossed the skies of several Argentine provinces on the night of September 24. While final analysis is awaited to confirm its origin, a specialized Air Force team arrived in the province yesterday, Friday, to safely remove the object. This event, unprecedented in the northern region of Argentina, highlights a growing global problem: space debris. Experts have warned that, without proper management, the accumulation of orbital debris could make access to space difficult or even impossible for future generations. The discovery in Chaco adds to a growing list of technological debris that manages to pass through the atmosphere and land on Earth, serving as a visible reminder of the consequences of the space race.
Article published in MysteryPlanet.com.ar: Space debris with toxic contents crashes in a field in Chaco, Argentina