An American family in the US state of Florida has claimed more than $80,000 in damages from NASA after falling debris from space hit the roof of their home.
An American family has claimed more than $80,000 in damages from NASA after a piece of debris from space hit the roof of their Florida home. Confirming the case, law firm Cranfill Sumner said that the space junk issue could increase with the growing space traffic and that there could be a precedent for how NASA handles such claims.
The object, weighing just 700 grams, crashed into Alejandro Otero’s home in Naples, Florida, on March 8, blowing a hole in the roof. NASA later confirmed that the object was part of a cargo pallet of used batteries released as waste from the International Space Station. It remained partially intact in the atmosphere before falling to Earth, NASA said.
NASA has six months to respond to the claim, the law firm said, emphasizing the moment of impact when Otero’s son was at home. Attorney Mica Nguyen Worthy said her clients are seeking appropriate compensation for the stress and impact of the incident.
Although no one was physically injured in this incident, the family noted that such a situation could be potentially catastrophic.
