A quiet day in rural West Texas turned extraordinary when a large piece of NASA equipment parachuted into a farmer’s wheat field.
The object, about the size of a sport-utility vehicle and marked with NASA stickers, drifted down attached to a huge 30-foot parachute.
Local resident Ann Walter first spotted the strange object moving slowly across the sky before it landed nearby. Unsure what it was, she called the local sheriff’s office, only to discover that NASA was already searching for it.
The equipment came from NASA’s Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility, which launches unmanned research balloons high into the atmosphere. These balloons carry instruments that help scientists study stars, galaxies, and black holes.
Officials explained that the equipment had been launched from Fort Sumner, New Mexico, about 225 kilometres away, and had drifted off course before landing safely in Texas. Due to a government shutdown at the time, NASA was slower than usual in responding to messages.
Sheriff David Cochran confirmed that NASA contacted his office to recover the lost item. Soon after, a team from the balloon facility arrived with a truck and trailer to collect it.
Before it was taken away, Walter and her family took several photos and videos of the unexpected visitor from space science.
