Farmer Finds Charred Object in Minnesota Cornfield

Stevens County sheriff’s deputies went to a cornfield in Minnesota after the farmer who found a partially charred object there reported it. Authorities said it could be space debris that had not burned up during reentry into the atmosphere. The object was removed from the field and taken to a secure location. The sheriff’s office said there was no danger to the public.

Experts Say It’s Debris From a Chinese Rocket

The Minnesota Star Tribune reported that three space experts believe the object is debris from a Chinese Zhuque-2E rocket. LandSpace, a Chinese space company, launched the rocket on September 15. The experts said the rocket’s reentry path roughly matched the location where the object was found.

Identification Not Confirmed

The Chinese company has not confirmed that the object came from its rocket, and authorities have not issued an official identification. The sheriff’s office referred further questions on the matter to the U.S. State Department. The report did not specify what questions were sent or what answers were received.

Social media users asked whether the object might be part of a flying saucer. Others joked that it was a piece of a presidential aircraft.