MAKUENI, Kenya – The Kenya Airspace Agency (KSA) has shed more light on the mysterious metallic object that fell from the skies in Makueni County.
The object landed in Mukuku village, Mukuku sub-location, Nduluku sub-location, Waia Division, Mbooni East Sub-County, Makueni County, on Monday, December 2024, at around 3 pm.
KSA officials received the information on Tuesday, December 31, 2024. They rushed to the scene, working alongside a multi-agency team and local authorities to secure the area and retrieve the debris.
Why did KSA confiscate the mysterious Makueni object
The debris is now in the agency’s custody for further investigation. KSA clarified that the object, a metallic ring measuring approximately 2.5 metres in diameter and weighing about 500 kg, is a fragment of a space object.
“Preliminary assessments indicate that the fallen object is a separation ring from a launch vehicle (rocket). Such objects are usually designed to burn up as they re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere or to fall over unoccupied areas, such as the oceans,” KSA said.
In a statement from KSA’s Corporate Communications, the state agency maintained that this is an isolated case.
“The Agency will investigate and address this issue using the established framework under the International Space Law,” KSA said.
What is the current state of the mysterious Makueni object
Meanwhile, KSA moved to assure the public that the object posed no immediate threat to safety.
“Our experts will analyse the object, use existing frameworks to identify the owner, and keep the public informed of the next steps and outcomes,” the statement reads.
The agency also thanked the residents of Mukuku village for reporting the incident to authorities and for their cooperation in ensuring public safety.
“We express our gratitude to the local leadership, the multi-agency team, the Makueni County Government, and the media houses for disseminating this critical information promptly,” explained the agency.
KSA further reiterated that it remains committed to fostering safe and responsible space activities for Kenyan entities operating within Kenya or from outside Kenya.
“We urge the public to report any suspicious objects or unusual occurrences promptly to the relevant authorities,” KSA’s Corporate Communications statement reads.
