US family seeks $80,000 from NASA for space debris damage to their home

A family in the United States is seeking over $80,000 in damages from NASA after a piece of space debris crashed through the roof of their home in Florida, AFP reported on Friday, June 21.

The incident occurred on March 8 when a 700-gram piece of debris struck Alejandro Otero’s house in Naples, Florida, creating a hole in the roof. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, according to the law firm Cranfill Sumner.

Cranfill Sumner highlighted that the growing issue of space debris is a consequence of increased space traffic. How NASA responds to this claim could set a precedent for handling similar cases in the future.

### Potential Danger Highlighted

Otero’s son was at home at the time of the impact. The family’s attorney, Mica Nguyen Worthy, stated, “My clients are seeking adequate compensation for the stress and impact this event had on their lives.” She emphasized their relief that no one was physically injured but noted that the situation could have been much worse. “There could have been serious injury or a fatality,” Worthy added.

### Details of the Debris

NASA confirmed that the debris was part of a cargo pallet containing used batteries, which was discarded from the International Space Station as waste in 2021. Instead of disintegrating completely upon reentry, a portion of the pallet survived and fell to Earth.