A farmer in Stevens County, Minnesota, discovered a large metal object measuring approximately 3.35 meters in diameter on his cornfield. The discovery occurred during the harvest season, one month after the launch of the Chinese Zhuque-2E rocket on September 15. Local authorities confirmed the presence of the debris and are currently coordinating with state and federal agencies to identify the owner and arrange for its removal.
The Zhuque-2E rocket launched from the Dongfeng commercial site at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The mission successfully deployed 10 satellites for the Qianfan communication constellation into a 900-kilometer polar orbit. Following the deployment, the upper stage initiated a deorbit maneuver. Witnesses in the United States reported seeing burning fragments moving across the sky from south to north toward Minnesota on the day of the launch.
While deorbiting spent stages is standard practice to mitigate space debris, these objects are typically directed toward ocean areas to avoid populated regions. The manufacturer, LandSpace, has not provided official comments regarding the incident. This event follows a previous incident in June, where a Zhuque-2E upper stage disintegrated in orbit, creating numerous fragments near the paths of Starlink satellites and the ISS.
Although international space law holds the launching state liable for any damage caused on Earth, no injuries or property damage have been reported in Minnesota. Most space debris burns up upon atmospheric reentry, making the survival of such a large fragment unusual. Authorities have stated that the object currently poses no threat to the public.
