A statement from NASA PA confirms it was "Dragon spacecraft trunk hardware" that fell over North Carolina. Additionally, "During its initial design, the Dragon spacecraft trunk was evaluated for re-entry breakup and was predicted to burn up fully."@WLOS_13 @planet4589
SpaceX has confirmed the re-entry of Dragon spacecraft trunk hardware to NASA following its service missions to the International Space Station. In 2023, trunk debris that supported NASA's SpaceX Crew-5 re-entered over Colorado, and recently, debris from a private astronaut mission, Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3), was found in Saskatchewan, Canada, following the deorbit of its trunk on Feb. 26, 2024. Most recently, the trunks that supported SpaceX's 30th commercial services resupply and Crew-7 missions re-entered over Saudi Arabia and North Carolina respectively. NASA is unaware of any structural damage or injuries resulting from these findings. Previously, in 2022, trunk debris from Crew-1 was discovered in Australia.There is another trunk currently in orbit attached to the Crew-8 Dragon on the International Space Station. Crew-8 is expected to return later this summer.During its initial design, the Dragon spacecraft trunk was evaluated for re-entry breakup and was predicted to burn up fully. The information from the debris recovery provides an opportunity for teams to improve debris modeling. NASA and SpaceX will continue exploring additional solutions as we learn from the discovered debris.Comprised of two sections, a Dragon spacecraft has a pressurized section that safely flies crew or cargo, and an unpressurized expendable section called the trunk. The trunk contains hardware used for spacecraft power and cooling while in orbit. Prior to re-entry, the trunk is jettisoned and breaks up in the Earth's atmosphere, while the Dragon spacecraft reenters Earth's orbit - protected by its heatshield - and deploys four parachutes prior to splashing down and completing its mission.In the unlikely event of locating a piece of space debris, please do not attempt to handle or retrieve the debris. Instead, please contact the SpaceX Debris Hotline at 1-866-623-0234 or at [email protected].NASA and SpaceX remain committed to safeguarding the public, astronauts, and ground crews.
