Great space ball mystery SOLVED

By
Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 3:33 PM on 25th December 2011

It was hailed as a doomsday device, an instrument from a weather balloon or proof that extra terrestrial life existed.

But the mysterious metal
sphere fell to the ground in a remote area of northern Namibia
has now been identified as a hydrazine tank from an unmanned rocket, commonly used in satellite launches.

When the 13lbs, 14 inch ball smashed to earth in mid- November it sparked a national security issue with the Namibian authorities asking NASA for help in identifying it.

The baffling metal sphere, pictured made a crater 12 inches deep where it fell

The baffling metal sphere, pictured made a crater 12 inches deep where it fell

Adrian Chen of Gawker reported that it was most likely a fuel tank for storing hydrazine on unmanned rockets. He said this after a commentator wrote on his blog: ‘For anyone wondering what it actually is, it’s likely a 39-litre hydrazine bladder tank.

‘They’re used on unmanned rockets for satellite launches, which would explain why they’re falling down in such a specific geographic footprint.’

When the ball fell it caused a crater 12 inches deep and 13ft wide, although it was found some 60ft away.

Locals claimed to have heard several explosions in the days before it was discovered by a farmer on his land.

Mystery solved: This 39 Litre Hydrazine propellant tank for spacecraft, looks identical to the one found in the desert

Mystery solved: This 39 Litre Hydrazine propellant tank for spacecraft, looks identical to the one found in the desert

Some claimed that it could be an escaped particle from the Large Hadron Collider, reindeer droppings or a Quaffle from the Harry Potter films.

Police forensics director Paul Ludik said
that the ball was discovered a month ago but was only made public this
week. Whilst it was made of a ‘sophisticated material’, it was something
that was known to mankind.

He
explained that the explosion heard by locals could have been the sonic
boom when it broke the sound barrier coming down to Earth, or by the
impact on the ground.

The compound appeared to be a ‘metallic
compound normally used in space vehicles,’ although he would not be
surprised it it was actually from a normal aircraft.

Police deputy inspector general Vilho
Hifindaka added that the sphere, which landed 480 miles from the
Namibian capital Windhoek, did not pose any danger.

He said: ‘It is not an explosive device, but rather hollow, but we had to investigate all this first’.

The find sparked speculation on the
internet that it could finally be proof of extra terrestrial life, even
though it bore a passing resemblance to the head of a character from the
children’s series Teletubbies.

The sphere could be a hydrazine tank used on satellites such as the one pictured

The sphere could be a hydrazine tank used on satellites such as the one pictured

The mysterious metal sphere landed on dry land in an area of northern Namibia, pictured

The mysterious metal sphere landed on dry land in an area of northern Namibia, pictured

Earlier this year Britain and the rest of the world was put on alert when one of NASA’s satellites broke up and crashed to Earth.

Huge chunks of titanium up to 350lbs from car-sized Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite tore through the atmosphere at 1,800mph but the best NASA could guess was that they landed somewhere south of Inverness on the equator.

To try and reassure the public it also revealed that the odds of being hit were miniscule.

Weeks later Germany’s Roentgen satellite crashed to Earth and split up into 30 huge chunks including one which weighed 880lbs.

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have not been moderated.

One or more commenters recently hit the nail on the head on this one…….the reporter of the original article should dredge up their comments….and include their comments in a follow up piece.

I identified it yeterday so why didn’t DM believe me then?

No. It’s ours!It was accidently dropped into your atmosphere by one of our vessels and we must have it back! We are taking over your small sphere, the one called Earth, and we must have it.To my fellow 7″{};ians,;[-‘
‘; \’
”=[;
”’;\]
/kk]]
‘p./’.]
It’s time!!!

Nope. Didn’t think it was alien but it did remind me of a Dyson ! Couldn’t quite work out though what the heck it would be doing in space. lol

Discarded hydrazine tank? Sure, that’s what the government wants us to believe.

like everything else that falls from the sky our first reaction is… ALIEN! Im not saying they’re not real but just wait before making assumptions

We know DM. One of our many brainy contributors told us when you posted it first time around.

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