Family sues NASA after Florida home is hit by debris from space station | US News

A Florida family is suing NASA after their home was damaged by debris that fell to Earth from the International Space Station.

The law firm Cranfill Sumner, representing the family, said the case against The agency It is the first of its kind and will “form the basis” for similar claims in the future, as space debris has become a “real and serious problem.”

The object They broke into Alejandro Otero’s house in Marchcreating a hole in the ceiling and floor.

Otero’s son, Daniel, was home at the time but was not injured.

The family wants $80,000 (£63,000) in compensation “to account for the stress and impact this event had on their lives”, lawyers said.

Cranfill Sumner said his clients were “grateful that no one was physically injured,” but added that the “near-miss situation” could have been “catastrophic.”

“If the debris had fallen a few meters in another direction, there could have been serious injuries or a death,” the firm said.

NASA said the debris occurred after ground controllers used a robotic arm on the space station to free a cargo pad containing “old batteries” in March 2021.

“The hardware was expected to completely burn up during entry into Earth’s atmosphere on March 8, 2024,” he said.

“However, one piece of hardware survived re-entry and impacted a home in Naples, Florida.”

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NASA said the object came from a “strut” used in flight support equipment to mount batteries on the pad.

It weighed about 1.6 pounds (725 g) and measured 4 inches by 1.6 inches.

The Otero family’s attorney, Mica Nguyen Worthy, said: “Space debris is a real and serious problem due to the increase in space traffic in recent years.

“If NASA took the position that the Oteros’ claims should be paid in full, it would send a strong signal to both other governments and private industries that such victims should be compensated regardless of their fault.”