A large mystery object that washed up on a remote West Australian (WA) beach has been declared safe as experts try to confirm if it is part of a space rocket.
Multiple state and federal agencies have been called in to help determine what the cylindrical piece of equipment is and where it came from.
The Australian Space Agency (ASA) says the device, which appears to be partly made of a woven material, could be part of a space vehicle, and it was contacting other international agencies in a bid to identify it.
“The object could be from a foreign space launch vehicle, and we are liaising with global counterparts who may be able to provide more information,” it said in a tweet.
The barnacle-encrusted and rusty object, which is about 2.5 meters high, was found on Sunday near Green Head, about 250km north of Perth.
It quickly drew a crowd of interested locals, with some posing for photos with the device before authorities arrived.
WA Police late on Monday said an analysis of the object by the Department of Fire and Emergency Service and Chemistry Centre of Western Australia had determined the object was safe and “there is no current risk to the community”.
“This includes those who have come into contact with the object prior to it being reported to police,” they said.
Authorities had earlier treated the device as hazardous and urged the public to stay away.
Police said the device would be removed following formal identification of its origin.
“WA Police will maintain the security of the object until it is removed, and members of the public are requested to stay away from the location.”
Some users of the social media site Reddit speculate the object could be Indian space junk from an LVM3-M4 rocket.
Authorities have ruled out an aviation link after suggestions it may have been part of an airliner.
