Green Head space junk in limbo, no direction on plans from Indian space agency almost six months on

It was the mysterious object washed ashore on a remote Mid West beach that captured the world’s attention. But almost six months on, the item — confirmed to be a piece of space debris from a rocket — is still in limbo as its country of origin remains silent on plans for its future. Beach-goers in Green Head discovered the barnacle-encrusted object on July 15, and a couple of weeks later the Australian Space Agency confirmed the debris was from an expended third stage of a polar satellite launch vehicle operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation. At the time, then-Coorow Shire president Moira Girando was keen for the space junk to be displayed locally and become a tourist attraction. She said depending on how the object weathered and with the appropriate safeguards, it would be best suited to display the object at a local park with an appropriate plaque to encourage people to stop in Green Head. “As long as it’s not contaminated or dangerous it should be stored and eventually displayed somewhere in Coorow, preferably in Green Head,” she said. Premier Roger Cook suggested the object could be placed at the WA Museum Boola Bardip along with the wreckage of Skylab, which fell to Earth in 1979 in Balladonia, but Ms Girando opposed the idea. “To put it in a museum in the metro area really takes it out of context,” she said. “The context is that it was found at Green Head, and that’s where I feel it should be displayed.” New Shire president Guy Sims said the item is currently being stored in the area, but its future is dependent on the launching agency’s preference. Shire CEO Mia Maxfield confirmed there had been no updates from the ISRO, who will determine if the debris will be returned or kept in WA. “We are expecting it to be moved imminently, whether that’s to Perth or not. If the Indian Space Research Organisation don’t want it then I believe it falls under the Australian Space Agency,” Cr Sims said. A spokesperson for the Australian Space Agency said they had not been updated on the plans for the debris, and it remained under the control of the ISRO.