posted 11-26-2015 10:21 PM               

The metal debris, a large section of alloy about 10m by 4m, was spotted floating between the islands of Bryher and Tresco in the archipelago 60 miles off the tip of Cornwall. It was recovered with the help of a local professional boatman, and is currently securely held on the beach at Tresco.

Martin Leslie, coastal area commander for the coastguard, said: "The markings show an American flag.

The UK media's suspicion is that the debris is from the ill-fated CRS-7 launch from last June, but that may just because it was the most recent launch.

posted 11-27-2015 09:43 AM               

I got it! It's the CRS-4 interstage. Image proof. The falcon beak ends to the right side of the "o" in "Falcon", and the bulge above "n" is different on CRS-4.

Amazing to think, that nearly 18 months later, it's travelled across the globe on ocean currents.

CRS-4, although being a ISS flight, did not have landing legs due to a core switch with AsiaSat 6. This resulted in F9-012 (CRS-4), being the 13th flight of Falcon. Because it did not have the capacity to land, it instead performed a retropropulsion and landing burn on the water, that was famously captured by NASA via thermal imagery.

posted 12-08-2015 07:17 AM               

SpaceX previously confirmed the wreckage was from the first stage of a successful mission to the International Space Station from September last year.

"We don't need it for testing or analysis, it is a pretty straightforward piece of carbon fibre material," said the spokesman. "There are no electronics or anything. We are just trying to clean up after ourselves."

The Receiver of Wreck Alison Kentuck said the debris officially belonged to SpaceX.

Many islanders wanted the debris added to the Valhalla collection of figureheads from Scilly shipwrecks in Tresco Abbey Garden. A spokesman for the UK's National Space Centre in Leicester said it had been "desperate" to keep the wreckage.

posted 12-08-2015 04:53 PM               

[Tresco's Operations Manager Dean Whillis] says the disposal was under the direction and observation of SpaceX, who are qualified in handling such matters.

He adds that Tresco Estate was, "reassured that the debris and any disposal posed no risk to anyone's health."

Radio Scilly understands that some sensitive material was removed from the remains of the rocket and the Americans also retrieved the United States flag marking from the casing.