• last year
Experts are warning space junk looms as an increasingly global problem as WA police hand off an investigation into the discovery of an unidentified rocket part on a beach north of Perth.

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00:00 What was an exciting discovery for locals at this greenhead beach wasn't a surprise for some.
00:07 To have one wash up on the shore with WA is not really that remarkable in a sense
00:12 because the Indian Ocean is probably getting its fair service of discarded rocket bodies.
00:18 And it could become a more widespread problem in the future.
00:22 The launch rates are going up all around the world. I mean,
00:25 a hundred launches by July is quite remarkable.
00:28 This large canister is now being stored in an undisclosed location
00:34 as police hand control of the investigation to the Australian Space Agency,
00:39 which believes the object is most likely a solid rocket motor casing.
00:43 We want to know exactly where it came from and from which rocket.
00:47 So that is going to take some time to determine.
00:49 While this space junk didn't cause any harm,
00:52 experts are warning an increase in satellites means a higher risk of more incidents.
00:58 The countries and the organisations and the space agencies are relying on the fact that
01:02 the earth is covered in two thirds water. So that's their out solution.
01:06 It will happen eventually. It's only a matter of time.
01:10 They're concerned a lack of tracking could result in old satellites falling outside
01:15 what's known as the spacecraft cemetery, the remotest place on earth.
01:19 The graveyard is to avoid purposeful impact in foreign countries.
01:26 If a satellite or a launcher fell back in its own country, there wouldn't be a problem.
01:30 But, you know, there is a huge threat to human life.
01:33 And also there are insurance issues as well.
01:35 It's not known whether the object will remain in WA or be sent back to its country of origin.
01:41 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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