US family seeks compensation from NASA after space junk destroys home

An American family whose home was hit by space debris earlier this year is seeking compensation from the American space agency NASA for property damage and mental anguish. The metal cylindrical slab punched a hole in the roof through two layers of the roof of Alejandro Otero’s home in Naples in March. At that time, NASA said the object was part of a 2.9-ton pallet of used batteries discarded from the International Space Station in March 2021. Otero said his son was nearly injured by the impact.

Now, law firm Cranfill Summer said in a press release that it has filed suit on behalf of Mr. Otero and his family. It listed damages including uninsured property damage loss, business interruption, emotional/mental anguish and third-party assistance costs.

According to BBC, Lawyer Mica Nguyen Worthy said space debris “is a really serious problem because of the increase in space traffic in recent years.” “My clients are looking for adequate compensation to offset the stress and impact this event has had on their lives,” she added.

Separately, speaking to CBS affiliate Wink-TV Mr. Otero said the space debris created a tremendous sound” when it hit his house. “I was shaking. I was in complete disbelief. What are the chances of something falling on my house with that much force and causing that much damage,” Otero said.

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The US space agency confirmed that the debris came from its flight support equipment. It was a metal bracket used to hold old batteries in a disposal pallet discarded from the station in 2021. Although most of the pallet was expected to burn up in the atmosphere, this particular piece survived the fiery re-entry.

“The hardware was expected to burn up completely during entry into Earth’s atmosphere on March 8, 2024. However, a piece of the hardware survived and impacted a home in Naples, Florida,” the agency said. The ISS will “conduct a detailed investigation” into how the wreckage survived the fire, according to NASA.

The BBC reported that the agency now has 6 months to respond to Mr. Otero’s claims.