Naples, Florida – A family in Naples, Florida is taking legal action against NASA after a piece of space debris landed in their home, causing damage earlier this year. The incident, which occurred in March, highlighted the rare occurrence of man-made materials from orbit reaching Earth’s surface intact and landing in a populated area. This event has raised questions about accountability when space debris causes harm on Earth.

The debris, a metal alloy stanchion, originated from a flight equipment operation aboard the International Space Station in March 2021. Despite NASA’s expectations that the material would burn up in the atmosphere within two to four years, it instead landed in a Florida home, causing a hole in the roof.

The family’s attorney, Mica Nguyen Worthy, emphasized the seriousness of space debris issues, especially with the increasing traffic in space in recent years. The legal claim seeks compensation for damages, stress, and emotional impact on the family due to the incident. Fortunately, no physical injuries were reported, but the near miss scenario could have had catastrophic consequences.

The lawsuit filed against NASA includes claims for non-insured property damage, emotional distress, mental anguish, and other related losses. The agency has yet to respond to requests for comments on the matter. However, NASA stated in a blog post that the recovered space object in question was part of a specific operation in 2021.

In response to the incident, NASA reaffirmed its commitment to safe operations in low Earth orbit and minimizing risks to protect people on Earth from space hardware releases. While international agreements, like the Space Liability Convention, hold NASA accountable for damages caused by its space debris in other countries, the legality becomes less clear when the debris lands on U.S. soil, turning it into a domestic legal matter, as noted by space law expert Mark Sundahl in an NPR interview.