Is it a part of a rocket launched from Tanegashima, a metal plate of about 3 m that has been washed ashore?

This month, a metal plate with a length of nearly 3 meters was found on the coast of Amami City, Kagoshima Prefecture.

About this board Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is planning to collect it in the future because it seems to be a part of a rocket launched from Tanegashima in Kagoshima prefecture in the past.

According to Amami City and Kagoshima Prefecture, on the 6th of this month, local residents reported that something like a large metal plate was washed ashore on the Aoku coast of Amami City's residential town.

City and prefectural officials confirmed on-site that the metal that had arrived was a plate-shaped metal about 4 cm thick and about 2.8 meters long.

Alphabets and numbers were written on the surface, and there was something like wiring on the back side.

Regarding this, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which is launching a rocket in Tanegashima, told NHK that it seems to be a part of the "H2A" part of Japan's main rocket from the characters written on the surface. ..

Also, from the shape, it seems to be a cover that covers an artificial satellite called a fairing mounted on the tip of the rocket.

When launching an artificial satellite, the fairing will be split into two parts in outer space at an altitude of 100 km or more after the launch, and will be separated from the rocket.

According to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the fairing will fall over the Pacific Ocean without burning out, so we will inform the relevant organizations such as the Japan Coast Guard in advance of the sea area where the fall is expected, ask them to keep the ship away, and install it. Based on the sensor, it is collected by a dedicated ship.

However, parts may break due to the impact of a fall and some parts may drift, and this time there is a possibility that they may have drifted in that way.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has said, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience," and plans to collect it after confirming it in the future.

A person in charge of Amami City said, "It would be interesting if it was a rocket part. A typhoon broke out in April, but it may have arrived at that time. I would like to cooperate if it is recovered."