Rocket debris hitting US homeland is ‘embarrassing’ for China, says astronomer

AI Summary

A large piece of rocket debris was found in a Minnesota cornfield, prompting speculation that it came from a Chinese launch. A British astronomer said the incident could be embarrassing for China and might technically constitute an international incident, though the debris’ origin is not confirmed in the report.

A scorched hunk of metal that turned up in a US farmer’s cornfield may have handed China an awkward moment and technically an “international incident”, according to a British astronomer who has tracked rocket launches for more than 30 years. The farmer found the bowl-shaped object, measuring about 3.35 metres (11 feet) across, while harvesting corn in west-central Minnesota on October 14. Online, some residents joked that aliens had landed, while Chinese internet users said it looked like a...