The International Space Station orbiting about 250 miles above Earth . NASA
NASA is being sue by a man whose menage was damage by a piece of space debris that came from the International Space Station ( ISS ) .
The incident occurred in Marchand demand a 1.6 - pound metal alloy object 4 column inch in height and 1.6 inch in diameter . NASA reassert in April that it had come from a 5,800 - pound pallet of distance detritus containing get on Ni hydride batteries that was released from the place in 2021 .
The International Space Station orbiting about 250 miles above Earth.NASA
ISS hardware waste-yard like this one would ordinarily have burn up in Earth ’s atmosphere , but on this social function it did n’t happen . Instead , a chunk of the debris survived reentry and crashed through the roof of a house belonging to Alejandro Otero in Naples , Florida . Otero ’s Word was at rest home at the time of the incident but head for the hills injury .
Ina statementfrom the natural law business firm representing the Otero family , partner Mica Nguyen Worthy let on that a title had been submitted to NASA to convalesce her clients ’ damages ensue from the incident .
“ My clients are seeking adequate compensation to account for the accent and impact that this event had on their lives , ” Worthy said . “ They are thankful that no one sustained forcible injury from this incident , but a ‘ near miss ’ billet such as this could have been ruinous . If the debris had hit a few feet in another counsel , there could have been serious hurt or a fatality . ”
Worthy noted that if such an incident come about outside of the U.S. , NASA would be withstand responsible for hurt under the Space Liability Convention , a pact launch in the 1970s . But the law is not so clean if it bump within U.S. borders .
“ We have asked NASA not to apply a dissimilar standard towards U.S. citizens or residents , but or else to take care of the Oteros and make them whole , ” Worthy said . “ Here , the U.S. government , through NASA , has an chance to dress the measure or ‘ localize a precedent ’ as to what responsible , safe , and sustainable space operations ought to attend like . If NASA were to take the position that the Oteros ’ claim should be paid in full , it would get off a secure signaling to both other governments and individual industries that such victim should be compensated regardless of fault . ”
NASA has six months to respond to the title .
The blank agency said in April that it “ remains attached to responsibly operate in scummy - terra firma area , and mitigating as much jeopardy as possible to protect people on Earth when place hardware must be free . ”
Otero , speaking shortly after the object punctured a hole in the ceiling of his home , said : “ I was shaking . I was altogether in disbelief . What are the chances of something land on my house with such power to make so much damage , ” adding that he was “ super thankful that nobody got suffer . ”
