Likely origin of mysterious ‘space balls’ found on Queensland beaches revealed by Australian Space Agency

The Australian Space Agency has said the six so-called “space balls” found in north Queensland were likely from a “foreign rocket body” that had recently re-entered the atmosphere after being in orbit.The six mysterious objects were found by the public washed ashore in the Forrest Beach area, north of Townsville, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and were suspected of containing hazardous chemicals.One expert said the objects were likely “space balls” – pressurised balls of fuel and one of the most common types of space debris to fall to Earth after a rocket launch.Police and fire authorities examined the debris and enforced 50-metre exclusion zones around the objects at the weekend.Forrest BeachThe space agency said the recovered objects “appear to be pressure vessels from a space launch vehicle”.A statement said: “The Agency has identified the likely source. The objects’ location and characteristics are consistent with debris from a foreign rocket body that recently re-entered the atmosphere from orbit.”The agency said it was “continuing to engage with international authorities to formally confirm the launch vehicle and launching state.”The Guardian has requested further information.Associate Prof Alice Gorman, a space archaeologist and space junk expert at Flinders University, said space debris that falls back to Earth can be governed by the 1967 United Nations Outer Space Treaty, to which Australia is a signatory.“It’s the most widely accepted space treaty where the launching state retains ownership of the launch material. This means the nation that launched them owns those pressure vessels,” she said.The ‘space balls’ began washing ashore in northern Queensland on Friday. Photograph: Queensland Fire Department“Australia then has to enter into negotiations with the launching state. The launching state will say if they want them back or not.”She said when part of an old Indian rocket washed ashore in Australia" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="706" data-entity-type="location">Western Australia in 2023, the Indian government did not request the material.Gorman said a pressure vessel is used to store fuel before it is forced out into the rocket engine itself. They are made of titanium alloy and can survive at very high temperatures.The fact they survived did not necessarily indicate anything had gone wrong in a rocket launch, she said.“Part of Australia’s responsibility is to negotiate for the return of the space balls, if that’s what the launching state wants.“A launching state may want [debris] back to analyse if something went wrong but if this is a standard rocket body and nothing went wrong they [the launching state] probably would not need to analyse it.When Nasa’s first space station, Skylab, fell to Earth over Australia" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="706" data-entity-type="location">Western Australia in 1979 – causing sonic booms heard on the ground as it re-entered the atmosphere – fuel tanks survived the re-entry.The space agency said Queensland authorities had determined the objects were safe, but warned that “further debris may be found.”“Never touch, move or recover suspected space debris and assume it to be hazardous until advised otherwise. Move away and contact emergency services,” the agency said.Gorman said only one person had ever been struck by falling space debris. Lottie Williams was unhurt after being hit on the shoulder by a piece of fibreglass while walking in a park in Tulsa in 1997. The object was part of a US-made Delta II rocket.