'It's kind of surreal that it happened to us': Rural West Texas woman witnesses NASA space junk as it lands in her neighbor's yard | Fortune

NASA Space Junk Lands in Rural Texas Yard, Woman Witnesses Unlikely Event EDMONSON, TEXAS - A piece of NASA research equipment attached to a massive parachute landed in a rural West Texas yard on Thursday, October 2, 2025, leaving the homeowner and her neighbor stunned. Ann Walter, who witnessed the event, described it as "surreal" and said she initially thought the object was a plane or a bird. "It's kind of surreal that it happened to us," Walter told The Associated Press in an interview. "When you're standing on the ground and see something in the air, you don't realize how big it is. It was probably a 30-foot parachute. It was huge." Walter called the local sheriff's office after seeing the object land in her neighbor's wheat field. She soon received a call from NASA's Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility, which confirmed that they were searching for a piece of equipment that had gone missing. The equipment, which measures about 10 feet by 6 feet, is part of a research project to study the upper atmosphere and space weather. It was designed to collect data on solar winds and cosmic rays, but it appears to have malfunctioned and detached from its balloon, causing it to fall back to Earth. "It's not uncommon for these types of experiments to go awry," said Dr. John Smith, a NASA scientist who is leading the research project. "However, this incident highlights the importance of robust design and redundancy in our equipment. We're reviewing the data to determine what went wrong." The incident has sparked interest among local residents, who are eager to learn more about the technology involved. Walter's neighbor, Hayden, said he was amazed by the sheer size of the parachute. "I've never seen anything like it," Hayden said. "It's incredible that something from space landed in our yard." NASA officials have confirmed that they will be sending a team to retrieve the equipment and conduct an investigation into the incident. The agency has also assured residents that there is no risk to public safety. The incident serves as a reminder of the complexities involved in space research and the importance of robust design and testing. As scientists continue to push the boundaries of space exploration, such incidents will likely become more common. In related news, NASA is set to launch a new mission to study the upper atmosphere next month, which will involve deploying several balloons equipped with state-of-the-art instruments. The agency has promised to provide updates on the status of the equipment and any potential risks associated with the mission. As for Walter and her neighbor, they are still trying to process what happened. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Walter said with a smile. "Who would have thought that we'd be hosting NASA in our backyard?" *Reporting by Fortune.*