For the second time in less than five months, Kenya is once more about to be hit by a precipitation of metallic objects from outer space expected to blitz onto the country during Easter Holiday.
But scientistsin Nairobi believe Tanzania, located south of the border from Kenya will also be affected by the rain of space junk.
The Kenya Space Agency (KSA) has issued a cautionary statement warning of a possible reentry of space debris over Kenyan airspace between Saturday, April 19, and Sunday, April 20, 2025, though again the incident may extend to as far as Monday.
According to the statement, the debris in question is identified as space object Norad ID 61909/2024–205R, a large fragment from a rocket body of unknown mass.
The Kenya Space Agency (KSA) reports that the object’s projected flight path will pass over eastern Africa, including Kenya, moving from the northeast to the southeast toward Tanzania and beyond.
The reentry is estimated to occur around 11:15 PM on Saturday, April 19, with a wide margin of error.
The danger window for possible sightings or falling debris spans from Saturday at 7:29 AM to Sunday at 3:01 PM.
While the Kenya Space Agency states the debris is not expected to land in Kenya, it has urged the public to remain vigilant and watch for any objects falling from the sky.
“The object could pose a significant risk to life and property along its path owing to its large size,” said the KSA press release, made available to The Tanzania Times on Good Friday.
Residents of Kenya and parts of Tanzania are therefore encouraged to report any sightings or incidents to the nearest police station, local government office, or military camp.
On the other hand, the Kenya Space Agency is working with international partners to refine the object’s predicted path and impact risk.
Space debris, also known as space junk, space pollution, space waste, space trash, space garbage, or cosmic debris, are defunct human-made objects in space – principally in Earth orbit – which no longer serve a useful function