
In the Makueni space object incident, questions for Africa’s space exploration

Image Credit: Triff/Shutterstock.com
By Bob Wekesa
A curious incident involving outer space, a Kenyan village, and a Kenyan space management entity
occurred as the country bid farewell to 2024 and ushered in 2025. Seemingly bizarre, the incident is
primed with global and celestial significance.
On December 30, 2024, a metallic object fell from the sky and landed near a village in Makueni County.
On January 1, 2025, information attributed to the Kenya Space Agency indicated that the object was
likely “a separation ring from a launch vehicle (rocket)”. Rockets are the carriers of satellites critical for
space exploration, earth observation, digital communication, and many more.
The Makueni village residents where the “red hot” object fell thunderously were assured that the object
posed no threat. It had ostensibly strayed into the Kenyan aero and terrestrial space. Investigations
“under the International Space law” would commence. Attempts would be made to “get the owner and
bring him to take responsibility …”.
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