A family in Naples, Florida, whose home was struck by space debris earlier this year, is seeking compensation from NASA for property damage and mental anguish. In March, a metallic cylinder slab punched a hole through two layers of the ceiling in Alejandro Otero’s home. At the time, NASA identified the object as part of a 2.9-ton pallet of used batteries jettisoned from the International Space Station (ISS) in March 2021. Mr Otero reported that his son was nearly injured by the impact.
Legal action initiated
The law firm Cranfill Sumner announced in a press release that it has filed a claim on behalf of Mr Otero and his family. The claim includes damages for non-insured property damage loss, business interruption, emotional and mental anguish, and costs for third-party assistance.
Space Debris: A growing Concern
Attorney Mica Nguyen Worthy, representing the Otero family, emphasized the seriousness of space debris. She told the BBC, “Space debris is a real serious issue because of the increase in space traffic in recent years.”
Worthy added, “My clients are seeking adequate compensation to account for the stress and impact that this event had on their lives.” In an interview with CBS affiliate Wink-TV, Mr. Otero described the frightening moment the spacejunk crashed into his home.
“The space junk created a tremendous sound as it blasted into my home,” Otero said. “I was shaking. I was completely in disbelief. What are the chances of something landing on my house with such force to cause so much damage?”
NASA’s response
NASA confirmed that the debris was from its flight support equipment, specifically metal support used to hold old batteries on a disposal pallet jettisoned from the ISS in 2021. While most of the pallet was expected to burn up during re-entry, this particular piece survived the fiery descent.
“The hardware was expected to fully burn up during entry through Earth’s atmosphere on March 8, 2024. However, a piece of hardware survived and impacted a home in Naples, Florida,” NASA stated. The agency assured that the ISS will “perform a detailed investigation” to determine how the debris survived re-entry.
NASA has six months to respond to Mr. Otero’s claims. The outcome of this case could set a precedent for future incidents involving space debris and the responsibility of space agencies to mitigate and compensate for such occurrences.