WARSAW (Reuters) – The space agency of Poland, known as POLSA, is currently in the process of investigating a mysterious object discovered near the city of Poznan in western Poland. A spokesperson for the agency revealed that they are looking into whether this unidentified object could potentially be debris originating from Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The object, which has been described as resembling a container, was first spotted on the grounds of a company in Komorniki, situated near Poznan, as reported by Polish law enforcement on Wednesday. Agnieszka Gapys, the press officer for POLSA, stated, “We cannot dismiss the possibility that the object found near Poznan may be linked to the Falcon 9 rocket, the trajectory of which we closely monitored. To confirm this theory, thorough examination is necessary.”
POLSA shared in a statement that the rocket they were tracking, weighing around 4 tons, was linked to the SpaceX Starlink Group mission that launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on February 1. “POLSA is actively coordinating with law enforcement,” the agency added. “Images of the fallen objects near Poznan have already been obtained. The Space Security Department at POLSA will conduct a verification process with SpaceX.”
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, known for its reusability, is a two-stage spacecraft specifically designed and produced by SpaceX for the purpose of transporting payloads and individuals into Earth’s orbit.
Following previous incidents near the Ukrainian border where two individuals lost their lives in November 2022 due to what was determined to be a misfired Ukrainian air defense missile, Poland remains vigilant for potential spillovers from the conflict. The state news agency of Poland, PAP, reported sightings of flashes in the sky in various parts of the country on Wednesday morning.
Martin Halasz, spokesperson for the Greater Poland State Fire Service, confirmed to PAP that, at the request of law enforcement, a specialized chemical and ecological rescue team had been dispatched to the site to evaluate the object and eliminate any potential threats it may pose.
(Reporting by Barbara Erling; Editing by Jan Harvey)
