# 'Space ball' falls out of the sky in Namibia - what are these things? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 22, 2011, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-ball-falls-out-of-the-sky-in-namibia-what-are-these-things/607128 "2011-12-22T22:58:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-ball-falls-out-of-the-sky-in-namibia-what-are-these-things/607128/41 "2011-12-24T05:04:14Z")
I’ve seen speculation that it’s a [helium tank from a Kosmos 1686](http://fernlea.tripod.com/tank.html). It’s just the right size, and the sizes & shapes of the inlet & outlet connections match well too. (See the sixth and eighth images on the linked page.) ---
**Author:** ![mikews99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@mikews99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikews99)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-ball-falls-out-of-the-sky-in-namibia-what-are-these-things/607128/42 "2011-12-24T13:55:12Z")
You don’t have to go to Namibia to get one. [You can order your very own mysterious round metallic tank from these guys](http://cs.astrium.eads.net/sp/spacecraft-propulsion/propellant-tanks/104-litre-hydrazine-propellant-tank.html). ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-ball-falls-out-of-the-sky-in-namibia-what-are-these-things/607128/43 "2011-12-24T15:27:23Z")
> [@SCSimmons](#): > > I’ve seen speculation that it’s a [helium tank from a Kosmos 1686](http://fernlea.tripod.com/tank.html). It’s just the right size, and the sizes & shapes of the inlet & outlet connections match well too. (See the sixth and eighth images on the linked page.) These tanks all look pretty similiar, and are constructed in the same fashion, i.e. explosively formed hemispheres welded together with ports and mounting features at the poles. It could be from any of a number of launch or space vehicles. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-ball-falls-out-of-the-sky-in-namibia-what-are-these-things/607128/44 "2011-12-25T01:27:06Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > These tanks all look pretty similiar, and are constructed in the same fashion, i.e. explosively formed hemispheres welded together with ports and mounting features at the poles. It could be from any of a number of launch or space vehicles. I was thinking more about the size matching–that tank was measured with exactly the same diameter (to the precision reported) and a very similar mass to the unknown one. So it’s more likely than the Ariane 5 component, which is much larger. Still, I’m sure you’re right–there are undoubtedly many other possibilities given the limited information available. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-ball-falls-out-of-the-sky-in-namibia-what-are-these-things/607128/45 "2011-12-25T02:01:35Z")
Couple of pics of similar shaped but different sized rocket tanks described as being Russian: [![](https://nanojv.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/hydrazine-tank-russian-satellite.jpg) ](https://nanojv.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/hydrazine-tank-russian-satellite.jpg) > **[Rock and Fossil Photographs Denver 2002](http://www.paleozoic.org/shows/denver-2002/d-05.htm)** > > Learn about fossils. Paleozoic.org is the free online fossil resource for paleontologists and fossil collectors. Home of the Paleolist: fossil mailing list and discussion list. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-ball-falls-out-of-the-sky-in-namibia-what-are-these-things/607128/46 "2011-12-25T02:17:17Z")
Somebody call for a DJ? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/84FRvHKxO3Y/hqdefault.jpg "CCR - It Came Out of the Sky") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84FRvHKxO3Y) As I said on my FB page, it’s just aliens playing their version of water balloons. Basically Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![applebetty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@applebetty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/applebetty)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-ball-falls-out-of-the-sky-in-namibia-what-are-these-things/607128/47 "2011-12-25T03:17:51Z")
> [@Taomist](#): > > This place is awesome, and I love you all, both for having the answer and reminding me of the Coke bottle movie. 😛 Time to go find that; haven’t seen it in AGES! _The Gods Must Be Crazy_ ? I love that movie. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-ball-falls-out-of-the-sky-in-namibia-what-are-these-things/607128.md?page=2)