A large metallic object discovered in a western Minnesota cornfield earlier this month may have been a remnant of a Chinese rocket. <\/p>\n
The bowl-shaped item \u2014 about 11 feet across \u2014 was found in Stevens County<\/a>, southwest of Morris. No one was injured when it landed in the field.<\/p>\n The sheriff\u2019s office initially said<\/a> it appeared to be a piece of space debris, and said it was working with state and federal agencies to identify where it came from. <\/p>\n In an update this week, the sheriff\u2019s office said it wouldn\u2019t be releasing more information \u2014 and directed questions to the U.S. State Department.<\/p>\n MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. <\/p>\n Also this week, the technology news site Ars Technica reported<\/a> that evidence points to the item being part of a Chinese rocket launched on Sept. 15. <\/p>\n That rocket carried several satellites into space and then deorbited, breaking apart over the Midwest. Ars Technica reported<\/a> that several people captured and shared video of the spectacle in the night sky.<\/p>\n Deorbiting is usually done over the ocean, to minimize the chance of debris that survives reentry causing any injuries or damage.<\/p>\n