Burning space debris that crashed to Earth in outback Australia is likely part of a Chinese rocket that launched in September, according to leading space archaeologist Alice Gorman.

Authorities are investigating the hunk of metal and carbon fibre after miners spotted it near Newman, Western Australia on Saturday afternoon.

“It seems to be the fourth stage of a Jieling rocket,” Gorman, a Flinders University associate professor and author of Dr Space Junk vs the Universe, said.

“There was one launched in late September. If it is the one from the 25th, that means it’s been orbiting the earth for a bit and then came out of the blue.

“There was no indication it was going to re-enter right now so people weren’t expecting it – when I went to look for re-entry predictions I couldn’t find a

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