Space junk

[shelleyc]

I found what I thought was a small meteor but having researched I think it's aluminum oxide slag, from a space shuttle rocket booster . Does anyone know who I should contact about this?

 

[COLGeek]

From your "about" section, the object was definitely not orbiting the sun (else you wouldn't have it and the shuttle didn't go that far).

Falling from Earth's orbit is a possibility, but just as likely from any number of objects lobbed into space/orbit and crashing back to Earth.

When and where did you find this object?

 

[billslugg]

As best I can find, any Al2O3 slag ejected from the SRB would be towards the end where it burns out. The rest is very fine powder. In any case, it would end up on the ocean floor as the flight path is over the ocean.

 

[shelleyc]

From your "about" section, the object was definitely not orbiting the sun (else you wouldn't have it and the shuttle didn't go that far).

Falling from Earth's orbit is a possibility, but just as likely from any number of objects lobbed into space/orbit and crashing back to Earth.

When and where did you find this object?

I found it last summer on the beach in Shuswap . It is a remarkable likeness in size texture and look as a previous picture of aluminum oxide slag of a rocket booster. It is visably melted with gold colored wire of sorts showing. I want to get it analyzed.

 

[shelleyc]

By shuswaps I mean, shuswap lake bc canada

 

[billslugg]

The Space Shuttle boosters never got any closer to Shuswaps, BC than 2700 miles. The Shuttle booster slag would not have wires embedded in it. You have likely found slag from a beachfront fire into which aluminum cans were tossed.

 

[shelleyc]

I don't believe that's what is is, I doesn't have wires in it, what I meant by that is that there's a gold colored line in it that resembles what would be in a wire. It's nothing that would have come from a camp fire that's for sure. Do you happen to know where a person could have it analyzed?

 

[billslugg]

Take your sample to any scrap metal yard or gold dealer. They all have X-ray fluorescence spectrometers they use to assay metals. It will give you a percent of all the elements in it. There is no such thing as a test that can prove it came from the Space Shuttle.

 

[shelleyc]

Take your sample to any scrap metal yard or gold dealer. They all have X-ray fluorescence spectrometers they use to assay metals. It will give you a percent of all the elements in it. There is no such thing as a test that can prove it came from the Space Shuttle.

Thank you for your advice

 

[shelleyc]

I am more interested in proving its from space and not of this planet than proving its from a space shuttle. In my research it's appearance is the same as an already acquired sample of a burnt up rocket booster that I saw online when I looked up space junk. But I would be thrilled if it is something that fell to earth from space regardless of what it may be.

 

[COLGeek]

Please post some pictures to a site like imgur.com and then share the links here. It would be interesting to see what you have.

 

[shelleyc]

Please post some pictures to a site like imgur.com and then share the links here. It would be interesting to see what you have.

Okay, I will do that thank you, any input is helpful

 

[shelleyc]

Okay, I will do that thank you, any input is helpful

My profile picture is of that sample although not a very good one, I will take more