Can't confirm it's ours unless we analyse it: ISRO chief on rocket debris found on Australian beach

An official from the space agency had earlier said they cannot confirm or deny anything about the object without analysing it first.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief S Somanath has said that a dome-shaped mysterious object that washed up on an Australian beach may or may not be India's.

"We can't confirm it's ours unless we analyse it," S Somanath was quoted as saying by the BBC. He, however, confirmed that the object is indeed "part of some rocket".

"It could be a PSLV or any other and unless we see and analyse it, it cannot be confirmed," he said.

He also said that "some of the PSLV parts are known to have fallen in the sea beyond Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone", adding the object "may have been floating for a long time and finally reached shore".

The object was found near the beach in Green Head in Western Australia on Saturday, with experts speculating that it could be from a 20-year-old Indian rocket.

Another official from the space agency had earlier said they cannot confirm or deny anything about the object without analysing it first.

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“We cannot confirm or deny anything about the object without seeing it in person and checking it. First the Australian space agency has to send a video of the object. We have to see the markings if any on it. They have to move the object to a different place. If need be, ISRO officials can go there to confirm whether it belongs to an Indian rocket,” the official was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.

The official added that the Australian Space Agency had approached ISRO in this regard.

Meanwhile, the Australian Space Agency had said, “We are currently making enquiries related to this object located on a beach near Jurien Bay in Western Australia. The object could be from a foreign space launch vehicle and we are liaising with global counterparts who may be able to provide more information."

We are currently making enquiries related to this object located on a beach near Jurien Bay in Western Australia.

The object could be from a foreign space launch vehicle and we are liaising with global counterparts who may be able to provide more information.

[More in comments] pic.twitter.com/41cRuhwzZk

— Australian Space Agency (@AusSpaceAgency) July 17, 2023

“As the origin of the object is unknown, the community should avoid handling or attempting to move the object. If the community spots any further suspected debris they should report it to local authorities and notify the Australian Space Agency via [e-mail],” it had added.

What is being said about the object?

While social media has been abuzz with a theory that the object could be a piece of space junk from an Indian rocket, Space experts Australian National University astrophysicist Dr Doris Grosse and Flinders University space archaeologist Dr Alice Gorman believe that it was likely a fuel cylinder from a launch by the India’s space agency.

It also led to speculation that the debris could have come from Chandrayaan-3, which was launched last week. But, that theory was junked by experts who were of the opinion that the object had been in the water for at least a few months.

Some even theorised the debris could have come from a specific mission – PSLV-CA C46 – which was launched in May 2019 and that it dropped some debris in the ocean to Australia’s north-west and south-east.

(With inputs from PTI, IANS)