No injuries were reported from the accident. The resolution of this case could set precedents in space debris claims.
A family of Florida, United Statesdemands of the US space agency POT compensation for damages caused by garbage from the International Space Station (ISS) that fell into his home in March, causing damage to the property.
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As they argue, space junk ruined part of the roof of the property located in the city of Naples and caused “emotional distress” to the family members. This is why they are seeking compensation of US$80,000.
Alejandro Otero, one of the plaintiffs, noted that the cylindrical object “passed through his house,” leaving a considerable hole from the ceiling to the basement. The family’s story indicates that on March 8, a piece of debris hit the house in which his son Daniel was, who was present at the time of the incident, and was almost injured by the piece.
The object was taken for analysis to the Kennedy Space Center, in Cape Canaveral, on the east coast of Florida, which confirmed that it was a metal support used to mount old batteries on a charging pad for disposal. The platform was jettisoned from the space station in 2021 and the cargo was expected to eventually burn up completely upon entering Earth’s atmosphere, but one piece survived.
What does the demand to NASA consist of?
The family demanded compensation from NASA for “uninsured property damage losses, business interruption damages, emotional and mental distress damages, and the costs of third-party assistance necessary in the process,” according to the law firm Cranfill Summer, in charge of the case.
“My clients are seeking appropriate compensation that takes into account the stress and impact this event had on their lives,” attorney Mica Nguyen Worthy said in a statement. And she pointed out: “Space debris is a real problem and serious due to the increase in space traffic in recent years.”
Under this premise, the lawyer highlighted the importance of the case due to its potential to establish precedents related to space debris claimsboth in the public and private sectors.
