In a mystery from infinity and beyond, Australian authorities are investigating the origins of six mysterious spheres that washed up on a beach in northern Queensland -dubbed "space balls"-over the weekend.
The space balls were discovered on Forrest Beach, north of Townsville, and are believed to be space debris, though the Australian Space Agency (ASA) has yet to confirm their origin.
Following their discovery, Queensland's Fire Department established a 50-meter protective area and reminded the public not to touch suspicious objects.
Online speculation has suggested the space balls may be propellant tanks for spacecraft, and could contain flammable or toxic substances.
While some have debated if the balls may be related to NASA’s ongoing mission to intercept a falling telescope, the agency has not claimed any connection to the incident.
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Additionally, space archaeologist and space-junk expert at Flinders University, Associate Professor Alice Gorman, told the Guardian that the balls showed no signs of scorching, indicating they likely never left the atmosphere.
“This suggests they might be from a rocket stage - perhaps a first or second stage - that has fallen back to Earth while the rest of the stage goes on to deliver a payload into space,” she told the Guardian.
“They look to be consistent with what you find as part of a fuel system. They are pressurized fuel vessels made of titanium alloys, which have very high melting points.
She explained that space balls can be found years after a launch, and it's possible they aren't related to any recent incidents.
Currently, the ASA and the fire department are working to ensure the balls can be handled safely, as it is unclear if there may be hazardous materials inside, such as hydrazine, a highly toxic rocket fuel.