NASA faces $120K claim after space debris hit family home

In an age of rising space junk, NASA’s response to the claim for more than $120,000 could set a precedent for how future cases are handled.

The metal object (right) that NASA determined was debris from the cargo pallet released from the space station in 2021. Picture: NASA / AFP

An American family is claiming more than $US80,000 ($120,000) from NASA after a small piece of debris fell from space and smashed through the roof of their Florida home, a law firm said.

The problem of space trash has risen in tandem with increased spatial traffic, and NASA’s response could set a precedent for how future claims are handled, law firm Cranfill Sumner said in a statement.

On March 8, the object weighing just 700g hit Alejandro Otero’s home in Naples, Florida, making a hole in the roof.

NASA later confirmed it was part of a cargo pallet of used batteries that was released from the International Space Station as waste in 2021.

Instead of fully disintegrating before falling to Earth, a section remained intact when it re-entered the atmosphere, the US space agency said.

Otero’s son was at the house at the moment of impact, according to the law firm, which said NASA has six months to respond to its claim.

“My clients are seeking adequate compensation to account for the stress and impact that this event had on their lives,” said lawyer Mica Nguyen Worthy.

“They are grateful that no one sustained physical injuries from this incident, but a ‘near miss’ situation such as this could have been catastrophic.

“There could have been serious injury or a fatality.” NASA did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.