NASA confirms: Space debris found in North Carolina from SpaceX shuttle

A large chunk of space debris discovered last month on a mountain trail in Asheville, North Carolina, was confirmed by NASA to have come from a SpaceX capsule.

NASA shared last week that the debris found in May by an employee of The Glamping Collective belonged to a shuttle that made its journey to the International Space Station and returned on March 12.

The ship initially launched in August 2023 but returned in March after its six-month expedition at the space station.

The debris is around 3 feet in size and came from the “trunk” of a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule that carried four astronauts home to Earth from the ISS.

The trunk is at the base of the Dragon spacecraft, under where the astronauts sit, and is usually used to hold cargo.

According to SpaceX’s website , it is covered in solar panels that provide power “during flight and while on-station.”

The section of the vehicle is often detached shortly before the capsule re-enters Earth’s atmosphere, but NASA says the trunk is supposed to burn up fully.

NASA is now investigating the most recent discovery, and several others suggest parts of the vehicle are capable of surviving the fiery trip back to Earth from orbit.

The debris weighs in at around 90 pounds, but some smaller parts were reportedly found in two residents’ yards in nearby towns, according to local reports .

In its statement, NASA said it was “unaware of any structural damage or injuries resulting from these findings.”

NASA also noted that this isn’t the first time debris is suspected to come from a SpaceX mission.

Last month, a piece of debris believed to come from another SpaceX trunk was found in a farmer’s field in Saskatchewan, Canada, NASA shared.

An uncrewed mission to deliver supplies to the ISS also saw more debris from a SpaceX spacecraft fall over Saudi Arabia, NASA said.

In response to the incidents, NASA says it will work with the private space exploration company to explore “additional solutions as we learn from the discovered debris.”

“NASA and SpaceX remain committed to safeguarding the public, astronauts, and ground crews,” NASA said.