A shocking new theory emerges about the mysterious metal object that washed up on an Australian beach, prompting the military to be called in to investigate.
- Washed cylinder is being investigated
- Astrophysicist thinks it could be space junk
- The authorities cordoned off the area.
A mysterious metal object that has washed up on a remote Australian beach could be space junk from an Indian rocket.
Members of the defense forces and other state and federal agencies have been called in to help identify the barnacle-filled cylinder, which has been cordoned off and placed under police guard.
Australian National University astrophysicist Brad Tucker warned it could be a discarded rocket fuel tank, which could be dangerous.
Police in Western Australia were alerted to the two meter tall greenish capped cylinder washed up on a beach near Green Head, 250km north of Perth, on Sunday afternoon after a community member he saw it.
A mysterious metal object (pictured) has washed ashore on an Australian beach, prompting an investigation involving police and shipping partners.
The mysterious object washed up on the beach about 250 km north of Perth on Sunday afternoon.
My rule with space junk is like the rule with Australian animals: don’t touch it unless you know what you’re doing. The fuel is often carcinogenic, so caution is important,” Dr. Tucker told The Age.
Reddit users have speculated that it could be a part of an Indian LVM3-M4 rocket.
The object appears to have cables or wires hanging from the top.
The Australian Space Agency said it is contacting other international agencies in an attempt to identify the device.
“The object could be from a foreign space launch vehicle and we are in contact with global counterparts who can provide more information,” the agency said in a tweet.
After being spotted, the object quickly drew a crowd of interested locals, with some posing for photos holding beers with the device before authorities arrived.
A WA Police spokeswoman said the object was being treated as dangerous until it could be determined otherwise.
The strange metal cylinder was discovered on a beach near Green Head, on the west coast of Western Australia, by a member of the local community.
“The investigation is ongoing and until more information is available, we urge everyone to refrain from jumping to conclusions,” he said.
“At this early stage, it appears that the object did not originate from a commercial aircraft.”
The discovery comes three weeks after another mysterious device was found floating off the coast of North Beach in Perth.
According to The West Australian, Australian Defense Force personnel detonated the device which was later found to be a marine flare.
There are about five to 10 rockets launched around the world to put satellites into orbit every week.
Chinese rocket boosters have fallen over the Philippines and between Australia and New Zealand.
Parts of one of Elon Musk’s SpaceX rockets have been found in the US state of Washington.
Western Australia was the landing site of possibly the most famous space junk in history.
Australian National University astrophysicist Brad Tucker (pictured) speculated that the object could be space junk
When the American orbiting space station Skylab went out of orbit in 1979, it became a media sensation and many speculated about where the pieces might land amid concerns it could hit humans and property.
In July of that year, debris from Skylab landed about 300 miles east of Perth and was found between Esperance and Rawlnna.
Locals and an airline pilot saw dozens of colored flares as large chunks of Skylab broke off in the atmosphere.
Esperance Shire jokingly fined NASA A$400 for littering and the amount was even paid on behalf of the space agency by a California-based morning radio host who raised the funds from listeners in 2009.
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