The mystery seems to have been solved: According to experts, an unknown object that washed up on Australian shores is probably the housing of an Indian rocket engine.
For days, experts in Australia have been baffled by the appearance of a mysterious object on a remote beach north of Perth. Now the Australian Space Agency (ASA) has announced that it believes it could be part of a rocket.
“We have determined that the object is a solid rocket engine casing,” the ASA wrote on Twitter. “We are continuing the process of identifying the type of missile and its origin in collaboration with our global partners,” the tweet continued. Solid fuel rockets are used in the space industry for both military and civilian purposes as launch aids.
The impetus may come from the Indian rocket
Andrea Boyd, an engineer at the European Space Agency, said her colleagues suspected that the material washed up in the sea came from an Indian rocket and may have fallen during a satellite launch.
“In terms of shape and size, it’s an upper stage of an Indian rocket engine that’s used for a variety of missions,” Boyd told Australian broadcaster ABC.
Whoever shoots it into space is responsible for disposing of the material, he added. The Indian Space Agency (ISRO) has not yet responded to a request for comment. Meanwhile, Australian police coordinated the removal and temporary storage of the material.
Before that, days of confusion about a cylindrical object
The cylindrical canister made of carbon fiber material is almost three meters high and 2.5 meters wide. He was spotted at Green Head Beach on Sunday.
At first it wasn’t entirely clear what it was about. After an extensive inspection, officials declared the property safe and there was no danger to the public. Residents, however, were asked to stay away from the gold-colored glitter.
. “Amateur alcohol specialist. Reader. Hardcore introvert. Freelance explorer.”