Space trash from SpaceX washes up on North Carolina – CNET

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Someone found litter from SpaceX on the beach.

SpaceX

SpaceX might have found new material for its recycling projects.

A huge chunk of sheet metal found along a North Carolina beach at the Outer Banks is apparently space junk from a Falcon 9 rocket, the Charlotte Observer reported Tuesday, citing confirmation from SpaceX.

The 10-by-6 foot metal chunk was discovered by a couple at a popular tourist spot in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The couple speculated that it could have been pushed ashore after Hurricane Michael struck, according to the Charlotte Observer. The rocket section was so big and heavy that a front-end loader was required to take it away from the beach, National Park Service officials told the publication. 

It’s the second time in 12 months rocket debris from the company has been spotted in the area — a 15-foot long piece identified as a protective nose cone from a SpaceX rocket was discovered last October. Space junk doesn’t only wash up on shores though. In Indonesia, pieces of SpaceX rocket debris fell from the sky last year.

SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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