Burning Space Debris Sparks Investigation Near Western Australia Mining Town

Burning space debris discovered near Newman, Western Australia, has prompted an investigation by police, raising concerns about the safety of re-entering objects from space.

• On Saturday afternoon, mine workers near Newman, a mining town in Western Australia, reported finding burning items suspected to be space debris.
• Initial investigations by Western Australia police and transport safety officials suggest the item is likely not from a commercial aircraft but rather a re-entering rocket or other spacecraft.
• The material of the debris is believed to be carbon fibre, potentially indicating it is part of a larger aerospace component that re-entered the Earths atmosphere.