NAPLES, Fla. — WINK reported that a Florida family is suing NASA for damages after a piece of space junk hit their house.
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According to WINK, a cylindrical object tore through the home of Alejandro Otero in Naples on March 8. He told WINK that his son called him about the incident while he was on vacation.
“I was shaking. I was completely in disbelief. What are the chances of something landing on my house with such force to cause so much damage,” Otero said. “I’m super grateful that nobody got hurt.”
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The item was quickly taken to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral for analysis. NASA confirmed in April that the object was a metal support that used to mount old batteries on a cargo pellet for disposal. The pellet was supposed to burn up in the atmosphere, but one piece survived.
Now, the family is suing NASA for damages, citing non-insured property, business interruption, emotional and mental distress and the cost of assistance from third-party agencies.
Attorneys for the family said the case seeks to set a precedent for space debris claims in the private and public sectors.
NASA has 6 months to respond to the claims.
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