According to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, the recovered item belongs to the second stage of the Falcon 9 missile, which was launched on March 4 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in connection with the Starlink mission.
It is a 1.5 meter long component, called COPV, that is, a hyperfilled compound pressure vessel. It left a trail of about 10-13 inches with impact on the ground, as it turns out. COPVs are used to store helium to pressurize the fuel tanks in the upper section of the Falcon 9.
SpaceX retrieved compound-coated pressure vessels from re-entering the Falcon 9 last week. It was found on private property in southwestern Grant County this week. Media and treasure hunters: We do not disclose details. The landlord simply wants to be left alone. pic.twitter.com/dEIQAotItY
? Grant County Sheriff April 2, 2021
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