India Says Space Junk Found In Australia Is Theirs 28
India has confirmed that an object that washed up on a Western Australian beach recently was from one of its rockets. The BBC reports: The giant metal dome was found at Green Head beach, about 250km (155 miles) north of Perth, in mid-July -- prompting speculation about its origins. India's space agency spokesman told the BBC on Monday it was from one of its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLV). Sudhir Kumar added that it would be up to Australia to decide what to do with the object. He did not comment further. His comments came after the Australian Space Agency (ASA) on Wednesday said that the object was "most likely" the third stage of a PSLV, which are used by India to launch satellites into orbit.
The ASA said it was working with India's space agency to "determine next steps, including considering obligations under the United Nations space treaties." According to the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs, countries are required to return any "foreign" space objects found in their territory to the owners. Western Australia has already indicated it would be happy to keep it. The state's premier, Roger Cook, suggested to local media that the object could be stored in the state museum alongside debris from Nasa's Skylab station, which was discovered in 1979. Locals said they might be interested in turning it into a local tourist attraction, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
The ASA said it was working with India's space agency to "determine next steps, including considering obligations under the United Nations space treaties." According to the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs, countries are required to return any "foreign" space objects found in their territory to the owners. Western Australia has already indicated it would be happy to keep it. The state's premier, Roger Cook, suggested to local media that the object could be stored in the state museum alongside debris from Nasa's Skylab station, which was discovered in 1979. Locals said they might be interested in turning it into a local tourist attraction, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
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Slashdot prohibited AC posts completely for a week or two and it was glorious.
But we argued with stupid shitheels less, and that decreased ad impressions, so they turned that misfeature back on.
Makes you wonder though... (Score:2, Offtopic)
I can appreciate a website's need to drive ad views but this combined with Slashdot's dwindling user count makes one wonder if AC posting only offers a short term benefit to Slashdot ad views. Perhaps the overall user base would have dwindled less had there been less "stupid shitheels" stinking up the place.
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I share your apparent opinion. AC posting is used at least 98% for trolling. Anyone who can't figure out how to generate a throwaway account isn't even competent to troll in an entertaining fashion.
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Re: Ms. Mash is an Indo-Chimp (Score:2)
Someone IS steering this ship, straight into a reef. They are crypto scammers. That is why the level of fuckery has increased so.
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As usual (Score:1)
India dumping their junk into the ocean for someone else to clean up.
Re: As usual (Score:1)
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Not a UFO (Score:2)
A whole load of UFO conspiracists suddenly needed reinforce their tinfoil hats to keep the truth from penetrating,
Re:Not a UFO (Score:5, Funny)
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The way the politics are getting crazy, i wouldn't be surprised if they claimed it's an UFO to cover for something else
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A whole load of UFO conspiracists suddenly needed reinforce their tinfoil hats to keep the truth from penetrating,
Or keep the curry from penetrating? /sarcasm
Return or "return"? (Score:2)
The treaty might require it to be returned, but if India doesn't *want* it back, would it be enough for them to return *ownership* to India, and then India could pass it to whomever they want (including the local party that has it in Australia presently)? Get the lowest ranking person from the Indian embassy to get out there and wave a hand over it. ;)
Australia io India: (Score:2)
We don't wanna look at your junk. Keep it to yourself.
Is It Labelled? (Score:1)
crowdsourcing can be amazing... (Score:3)
I remember seeing this the very next day it washed ashore on reddit, and the top comment correctly identifying it from a ISRO PSLV!
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We did it, reddit!
If Only.. (Score:2)
If only India would have let everyone know sooner that a piece of their space debris was about to land somewhere it wasn't planned.
I also like the whole it's "Australia's problem now" attitude. I'd scrap it and then send the Indian Embassy the bill for cleanup and damages.