Last week, a Florida family announced that they are suing NASA for damages after their house was struck by a large piece of space debris earlier this year.
While on vacation, Alejandro Otero received a call from his son about a cylindrical object that had crashed through their home in Naples on March 8th. Speaking to CBS Fort Meyers, Fla., affiliate WINK-TV, Otero recounted the incident.
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Otero couldn’t believe what had just happened. She was shaking as she looked at the damage that had been caused to her house. The force of the impact had been so strong that it seemed almost impossible. She couldn’t help but wonder what the chances were of something landing on her house with such force. Despite the shock, Otero was grateful that nobody had been hurt.
Afterward, experts transported the object to the Kennedy Space Center located in Cape Canaveral to conduct a thorough analysis.
In April, NASA confirmed the discovery of a metal support that was originally used to mount old batteries onto a cargo pallet for disposal. This pallet was jettisoned from the space station in 2021, with the expectation that the load would fully burn up upon entry into Earth’s atmosphere. However, one piece of the pallet managed to survive.
According to a recent press release by law firm Cranfill Sumner, the Otero family is seeking compensation from NASA for damages incurred. The family has filed a claim with the help of the law firm.
According to the family, they have suffered various losses, including damages to their property that was not covered by insurance, interruptions to their business, emotional and mental distress, and expenses incurred from seeking assistance from third-party agencies.
According to a statement from Attorney Mica Nguyen Worthy, the recent incident serves as a real-life demonstration of the gravity of the issue of space debris. This is due to the significant increase in space traffic in recent years, highlighting the seriousness of the matter.
Attorney Mica Nguyen Worthy stated that her clients are looking for fair compensation to cover the stress and effects that the event had on their lives. She expressed gratitude that nobody suffered any physical harm during the incident, but emphasized the severity of the situation. Worthy explained that a mere few feet in another direction could have resulted in significant injury or even death, making it a “near miss” scenario with potentially catastrophic consequences.
According to Worthy, the case aims to establish a standard for pursuing space debris claims in both the private and public sectors.
The deadline for NASA to respond to the claims is six months.
