A smoldering carbon-composite object discovered near Newman, Western Australia, on October 18, 2025, is believed to be part of a Chinese Jielong 3 rocket that re-entered Earth’s atmosphere.
A still-smoldering cylindrical object was discovered on October 18 on a remote road approximately 30 km (19 miles) east of Newman in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.
The object was still hot when it was found partially embedded in red sand. Preliminary assessments described it as a carbon-fibre or composite material generally used in aerospace hardware.
Authorities from the Australian Space Agency (ASA), the Western Australia Police Force, and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services secured the site and launched a multi-agency investigation. Officials have ruled out any connection to civil or commercial aircraft and confirmed that the object posed no immediate danger to the public.
Space analyst Marco Langbroek suggests that the debris could be a Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel (COPV) from the upper stage of a Chinese Jielong 3 (Smart Dragon 3) rocket launched in late September 2025. Another independent analyst concluded the same.
They matched the timing and likely re-entry corridor over Western Australia to that mission, making it the most likely candidate object’s origin. Meanwhile, laboratory tests and official orbital correlation by the ASA are still pending.
“The Australian Space Agency is working alongside local authorities in relation to the suspected space debris discovered in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The debris is likely a propellant tank or pressure vessel from a space launch vehicle,” ASA said.
Smoldering piece of possible space debris found near Newman Western Australia on October 18, 2025. Credit: ASA
Smoldering piece of possible space debris found near Newman Western Australia on October 18, 2025. Credit: WA Police Force
Smoldering piece of possible space debris found near Newman Western Australia on October 18, 2025. Credit: WA Police Force
Smoldering piece of possible space debris found near Newman Western Australia on October 18, 2025. Credit: WA Police Force
Specialists note that while most spacecraft fragments disintegrate during atmospheric re-entry, dense structures such as pressure vessels, fuel tanks, or engine sections can survive and reach the surface at potentially hazardous speeds depending on descent dynamics.
The recovered object has been secured and is undergoing analysis at a facility in Western Australia. Authorities have not provided a timeline for when test results will be released.