Falcon 9, Dragon debris begins washing up in Florida and Georgia
Photo Credit: Trevor Mahlmann
Those who decide to go swimming in the Atlantic Ocean this fourth of July weekend might have to be on the lookout for something – the remains of the failed resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The Weather Channel has posted an article detailing how the U.S. Coast Guard are working with SpaceX to track the debris which fell into the Atlantic Ocean approximately 150 miles (241 kilometers) off the Coast of Florida.
NASA and SpaceX have already stated that anyone who comes across the remains of the seventh Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-7) mission, they should not touch them. Rather, they should contact NASA / SpaceX for recovery. The rationale is simple: the components could possibly be toxic – or explosive. Potential debris should be reported to either SpaceX: 1-866-392-0035 or NASA: 321-867-2121
The Falcon 9 v1.1 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida at 10:21 a.m. EDT (14:21 GMT) on Sunday, June 28. For the first two minutes of the flight, everything appeared fine. However, approximately 20 seconds later, an over pressurized oxygen tank exploded – resulting in the complete loss of the rocket and its cargo.
Jason Rhian
Jason Rhian spent several years honing his skills with internships at NASA, the National Space Society and other organizations. He has provided content for outlets such as: Aviation Week & Space Technology, Space.com, The Mars Society and Universe Today.
