A metal object measuring approximately 3.4 meters in diameter was found in a cornfield in Scott Township, Stevens County, Minnesota. The discovery was made on October 14th when local authorities received a report of a foreign object on agricultural property.
Stevens County Sheriff's Office officers arrived on the scene. They found a large metal structure approximately 11 feet in diameter. The official description of the object is called a “large metal object” and “possible space object“.
“Upon arrival, officers confirmed that there was a large metal object approximately 11 feet in diameter in the cornfield, possibly a space object“, the sheriff's office said.
A report was made to the Minnesota officer on duty, after which federal agencies were also notified on the scene. Authorities said there was no danger to the public. The object has now been moved from the fields and is in a secure location while its origin and owner are being clarified.
Trace leads to Chinese rocket
A new publication by Ars Technica links the find to the upper stage of the Chinese Zhuque-2E rocket. It was launched on September 15 from the Jiuquan Space Center and put 10 communication satellites into orbit.
According to the analysis, the rocket re-entered the atmosphere over the American Midwest. The direction of the observed debris, the time of entry and the location of the discovered metal body match the alleged trajectory of the rocket. An additional argument is the size: the upper stage of the Zhuque-2E has a diameter of about 3.35 meters, almost as large as the measured 3.4 meters of the object.
However, this remains an expert hypothesis, not an officially established fact. US authorities have not yet confirmed that the object is part of the Chinese rocket. It has not been reported whether other fragments have been found in the area.
The investigation is ongoing, with the main task being to determine whether the structure is indeed space debris and to which device it belongs.
Sources: cbsnews.com, startribune.com, arstechnica.com