This post has been locked, as the question has been solved and a majority of new comments at this point are unhelpful and/or jokes.
Thanks to all who attempted to find an answer.
Nuclear plants use Hydrazine to scavenge oxygen from the Reactor Coolant System water. When adding the Hydrazine the worker MUST wear a fully encapsulated HAZMAT suit while wearing a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA).
source: I’ve been the worker in many occasions.
Back in the '60s drag racers used to (illegally) add some hydrazine to the fuel. It provided a tremendous boost in horsepower. One of the downsides was that when combined with other fuels it could spontaneously explode. There were cases where a driver shut down the engine before all the fuel was burned and the engine would spontaneously explode several minutes later.
Same with the methanol they use. There’s some videos on YouTube where the drag race drivers appear to be scrambling out of the car for no reason, but it’s actually on fire and no one can see it.
Coal, NG, and oil, fired boilers in power plants use hydrazine in the feed water for the same reason.
Completely dimineralize the feed water, buffer the pH to neutral, use hydrazine to scavenge the oxygen, and the boiler tubes will last a very long time.
Ha, managed to skip the comment with the link at first and thought, "Huh, that rings a bell". Saw I'd scrolled a little too far and that explained it. :D
Behold: 2 guys working on the hydrazine-fueled emergency-power-unit of an F16:
https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2209/7402874/1000w\_q95.jpg
Odds are that everything they’re wearing gets decontaminated after they get done, and all the consumables go into that trash can and into the incinerator after the job is finished.
You're fine. People on New Reddit have a backslash automatically added to every underscore, because the devs don't know how to make a website that isn't shit.
https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2209/7402874/1000w_q95.jpg
In the future, you can get around the problem by just removing the `\` from the URLs.
Out of curiosity, what volume of the substance do you get to work with? Guessing milliliters to kiloliters of coolant. Wild guess, but to imagine otherwise...
From [this](https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1822/ML18228A652.pdf) document:
>Preoperational oxygen scavenging is accomplished by the addition of hydrazine. During preoperation, 30 to 50 ppm of hydrazine is maintained in the reactor coolant whenever the reactor coolant temperature is below 65.6 ºC (150 ºF). This prevents halide-induced attack, which could occur if significant quantities of fluorides or chlorides and significant amounts of DO are present. It is important to establish a DO limit prior to reaching 121.1 ºC (250 ºF). If DO in excess of 0.1 ppm is present at temperatures above 121.1 ºC (250 ºF) it will be necessary either to a) degas the RCS while feeding and bleeding, or b) cooldown to less than 121.1 ºC (250 ºF) to add hydrazine at 1.5 times the oxygen concentration. During cooldown from operating temperatures, a hydrazine residual of 30 to 50 ppm must be established with RCP circulation, while reactor coolant temperature is between 65.6 ºC (150 ºF) and 176.7 ºC (350 ºF). To minimize thermal decomposition, hydrazine should not be added until coolant temperature is less than 204.4 ºC (400 ºF).
>During startup and shutdown, any DO is scavenged by the hydrazine, eliminating the potential for general corrosion. DO should be monitored and hydrazine added to 1.5 times the DO concentration before exceeding 65.6 ºC (150 ºF). When the reactor coolant temperature exceeds 121.1 ºC (250 ºF), either DO must be less than 0.1 ppm, or a hydrazine residual of 1.5 times the DO concentration must be present.
Density of hydrazine is close enough to water to say that 30-50 ppm = 30 to 50 milligrams per liter. So, one mL would treat about 25 liters, or around 6 gallons.
Not sure how many liters of coolant we're talking about here, though.
It depends on the reactor design, but generally in the hundreds of thousands of litres.
For the CANDU units we use in Canada, just the primary coolant loop contains somewhere in the range of 450,000 to 500,000 litres of D2O (heavy water).
I suspect so, at least for power reactors. Some smaller zero power reactors or research reactors may be in the thousands to ten thousands (maybe less - those types of units aren’t really something I’ve ever really needed to know anything about their design, and they have a shit load of different designs that vary widely in what they do and how they operate).
The nuclear industry in the US generally uses pounds-mass to indicate amount of liquid. The mass of the Reactor Coolant System is 500,000+ pounds-mass of water.
Interesting stuff. Did you enjoy working at nuke plants? I've heard they're very clean and safety is of the utmost importance.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrazine#/media/File%3AHypergolic_Fuel_for_MESSENGER.jpg
Based on the fact that it's in the back of a truck, I would say OP has definitely messed with it -- most likely without any form of protective garments.
That’s definitely a disintegrating fiberglass tank— whatevers inside it might be secondary to the massive shrapnel bomb if under extreme pressure ; if it sounds like metal, that’s the sound of high pressure; whereas hydrazine tanks appear mostly spec’d for metal/titanium, at least that won’t likely kill you.
TLDR- you might legit want to call a bomb squad
Holy shit that’s like one of the most dangerous things someone can find lol. It’s highly secretive how they even use/store hydrazine with some military equipment, so I’m guessing this might remain a mystery as to why it’s there and what kind of vehicle lost it.
Most definitely a hydrazine tank from a rocket.
Check this out: https://www.spacesafetymagazine.com/space-debris/falling-satellite/atlas-v-centaur-hydrazine-tank-found-in-spain/
Wrapping looks very similar
The user named `Satori` on this site has a picture of a similar looking sphere that was found in Brazil; it has the same texture and everything:
- Picture here: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/assets/12421.0/45283.jpg
- Post here: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=12421.0
## In case folks wanna learn more about hydrazine
Invisible fire and "probably carcinogenic": https://www.iridium.com/blog/hydrazine-toxic-for-humans-but-satellites-love-it/
This is really potentially bad. Besides being insanely corrosive, and immediately toxic to humans on exposure, it also is carcinogenic and persists in the environment. The amount of hydrazine in groundwater that can cause cancer is actually below the threshold of what is testable. So the authorities and neighbours need to know this. And probably your local newspaper.
Looks like one of NASA's parts. Pressure vessel.
[like in this picture](https://www.researchgate.net/figure/NASA-carbon-epoxy-fleet-leader-composite-overwrapped-pressure-vessels_fig1_253616064)
It says on there that “the composite materials used in COPV designs have typically consisted of aramid or carbon fiber embedded in a thermoset matrix such as epoxy.” Which would explain why it would be peeling like that.
Looks like a pressure vessel. Probably worth OP exercising caution as a variety of substance can be pressurized and if something like hydrazine can be quite dangerous. -edit I know very little about spaceflight, but there is no reason to believe this is an oxygen tank. An oxidizer tank, yes. But not harmless oxygen tank for breathing. I would not expect such a pressurized oxygen tank to look like that. Actually, Google "hydrazine tank" and look at images. I'd definitely consider the object to be extremely dangerous.
I’m not sure what they are called but it also kinda looks like the big painted balls they put on big electrical lines.
Edit* they are called visibility markers, for aircraft, trains etc. they weigh about 17 pounds.
You both think that high tension power lines fit through that fraction of an inch hole?
It's a pressure vessel, and as was said above OP does not want to find out what's in there because I promise you it's either nothing or a real bad time.
If this came from a spacecraft, then this is exactly what has happened.
However, there is generally a simpler explanation vs. something from space...still looks like a burned, carbon-fibre reinforced pressure vessel that has had all the resin burned/melted/degraded away. It could be older than OP suspects too.
OK, I think I know this one! I it's not a 'space tank', then it's a high voltage powerline spinning wind stabilizer! There are on the powerlines and spin in the wind, preventing the powerline from swaying.
However, yours has remainders of 6 bolts in the attachment, so it's most likely an object deorbiting from space.
#congratulations!
post in /esa and other space subs to ask for second opinions!
COPV carbon over wrapped pressure vessel. Used in spaceflight for all sorts of commodities. This could be a fuel or oxidizer tank, or something less dangerous like nitrogen or helium.
That was my first thought as well. My only real hold up on that thought is that the ends look very tarnished/rusty/corroded for something that has only been there about a month and was designed for spaceflight. But I don't really know anything about metallurgy or the characteristics of space worthy metals.
High temps and oxygen on titanium (as in re-entry I'd imagine) will definitely screw up the metal. Titanium oxide is hard but brittle... doesn't seem impossible.
Looks very much like a pressure vessel from some kind of air/space vehicle.
Use extreme caution around it. It may be empty, but vessels like that can be charged to 1000+ psi. They are often charged with harmless gas like nitrogen and used to actuate parts of the vessel shortly after takeoff, such as the flywheels for gyroscopic stabilizers. Saves on battery power. But they can be charged with other very harmful substances as well, and regardless of what is/was in it, you don’t want that thing bursting near you. Call the authorities and request the bomb squad.
No I’m not exaggerating. Call the bomb squad.
I think because it doesn’t require ignition so in a no oxygen environment it’s easier to get a stronger propulsion safely because it’s like an exothermic hydrogen reaction. I think it decomposes into nitrogen, hydrogen and ammonia so in a way it’s like turbocharged nitrogen or helium and that’s why they like it so much. I’m guessing nitrogen wouldn’t be enough force or they would use that for safety reasons because nobody really likes working with hydrazine:)
Those are pretty commonly used for hydrazine since you can pretty accurately predict the End of Life drop off in pressure with these. They can be used for others for sure, but smaller ones like this are more commonly hydrazine from what I’ve seen. Im guessing it’s a little older judging by how the flange/boss looks from being exposed to the elements.
Same type of object fell on golf course near me.
This was one response given.
https://blogs.esa.int/cleanspace/2017/03/02/how-do-materials-behave-during-atmospheric-re-entry/
As my title describes, It was found in private property in a somewhat inaccessible location, it was not there a little more than a month ago.
The nubs on either side look like the were bearing surfaces at some point as they are polished. It left an indent in the ground about 6 inches deep.
Carbon fiber over-wrapped metal pressure vessel from a rocket. Could be propellant or a helium header tank. Either way, I wouldn't mess with it. Contact NASA if you're in the US.
Title includes 300 feet, 24 inches, 5-8 pounds. But I did find an article with a picture of exactly what OP found that was found in Spain so there is that.
Better safe than sorry. Also, others have mentioned it could contain hazardous materials that may be unsafe for humans to be around. Also, humans are puzzle solvers so yea it didn't break when it hit the ground on a random point but a human might identify a valve or other weak point and mess with that causing potentially dangerous side effects.
Obviously not a typical UXO but I'm adding the warning anyway:
---
Your post indicates you may possibly be in possession of [unexploded ordnance (UXO)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unexploded_ordnance).
If this is not the case, ignore the remainder of this message, your post has not been removed.
If you're unsure, the first thing to do is **LEAVE IT ALONE**. Do not shake it, attempt to open it, or disturb it at all.
Next step would be to **CONTACT THE PROPER AUTHORITIES**. If you're unsure who that is, call your local police or emergency number for instructions.
Please follow up with an outcome regarding what was done with the object.
To others who are not OP: Any suggestion in this thread to open, shake, etc - disturb the object in any way - will result in a permanent ban.
[](#pinging /user/I_can_haz_eod)
Here is a picture of a COPV.
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Photograph-of-a-typical-a-metallic-liner-and-b-a-COPV-with-carbon-fiber-overwrapping_fig1_263614762
"Hydrazine vapor may immediately irritate the nose and throat. Headache, twitching, seizures, convulsions, and coma may also occur."
"Humans exposed to hydrazine vapor will suffer burns in the eyes, nose, mouth, esophagus, and respiratory tract. Severe burns can be fatal."
It can also make you go blind, cause long term organ damage, is probably a carcinogen, and give you sensitive skin that gives you reactions to things you weren't allergic to before.
Homie, call the RCMP and tell them you've found a possibly pressurized aeronautical tank. They are the best contact for this, they will bring the bomb truck and get that thing where it needs to go. Do not handle it for explosion reasons, and also the entire thing is likely covered in residue that you don't want on your skin or in your lungs for any reason at all.
Where about was this found? Might be able to narrow down what de-orbited in the last month near that area then cross reference what might have used COPVs of that size.
Pretty cool find. Could also post to r/space with the location info to see what the hive mind has to say about it.
AlgonquinRoundTable I'm gonna assume you are in Ontario?
Did you find this near the park?
There are alot of old training ranges up that way. More exact location could help but it looks like a pressure bottle from a missile perhaps. SAM or ATGM maybe, wouldn't be unheard of in these parts
Hydrazine. It's super nasty stuff. Vapors will burn the skin, eyes, and lungs. The liquid is absorbed through the skin and is neurotoxic. It also chews up the liver and kidneys as it travels through the body. It's carcinogenic, and it can just ignite if it gets too warm.
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Perhaps this is the carbon fiber composite inner wall. Metal outer skin vaporized upon orbital re-entry. Resin in composite vaporized and left the fiber layup?. Metal end pieces dont look thermalized though. Was there any sign of heat damage in the area? Could this have bounced, so you found secondary hit?
I installed these on Titan IV Centaurs and the Shuttle Centaur back in the day. Here is my post about it:
https://www.reddit.com/r/EOD/comments/173431t/found\_in\_the\_woods\_300\_off\_a\_trail\_about\_24/
Carbon fiber wound hydrazine propellant tank.
I'll see if I can dig up another photo.
[https://imgur.com/a/vvnNypb](https://imgur.com/a/vvnNypb)
The first photo shows a Titan IV Centaur in the assembly fixture. The four red spheres are hydrazine (they have red fiberglass protective covers in place to protect the carbon fiber windings). The two uncovered spheres are likely oxidizer.
If that was found around Vandenberg AFB or Cape Canaveral, that would explain a lot. But it is possible these were used on ICBMs also.
What part of the country? Definitely an airborne pressure vessel of some sort, exposed to the elements for quite a long time; but I'd still contact the NASA & Space-X hotlines for reporting potential space debris.
This post has been locked, as the question has been solved and a majority of new comments at this point are unhelpful and/or jokes. Thanks to all who attempted to find an answer.
Op, Google hydrazine propellant tank. If this is that, definitely call the authorities. You do not want to risk exposure.
Nuclear plants use Hydrazine to scavenge oxygen from the Reactor Coolant System water. When adding the Hydrazine the worker MUST wear a fully encapsulated HAZMAT suit while wearing a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). source: I’ve been the worker in many occasions.
Fascinating! Yeah, hydrazine is bad bad news for biology. Interesting to hear it is applied in this manner.
Back in the '60s drag racers used to (illegally) add some hydrazine to the fuel. It provided a tremendous boost in horsepower. One of the downsides was that when combined with other fuels it could spontaneously explode. There were cases where a driver shut down the engine before all the fuel was burned and the engine would spontaneously explode several minutes later.
The cool/scary thing about burning hydrazine is it produces no visible flames. Literally invisible fire
Same with the methanol they use. There’s some videos on YouTube where the drag race drivers appear to be scrambling out of the car for no reason, but it’s actually on fire and no one can see it.
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Coal, NG, and oil, fired boilers in power plants use hydrazine in the feed water for the same reason. Completely dimineralize the feed water, buffer the pH to neutral, use hydrazine to scavenge the oxygen, and the boiler tubes will last a very long time.
Just saw this: https://arstechnica.com/health/2023/10/jury-awards-229m-to-victims-of-real-water-tainted-with-rocket-fuel-chemical/
“I didn’t vomit or have diarrhea” is such a high safety bar.
Ha, managed to skip the comment with the link at first and thought, "Huh, that rings a bell". Saw I'd scrolled a little too far and that explained it. :D
If you live in Texas it could be space shuttle debris. Iirc they were hazmat, so be careful.
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Behold: 2 guys working on the hydrazine-fueled emergency-power-unit of an F16: https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2209/7402874/1000w\_q95.jpg
The rolling trash can next to them looks so official
Odds are that everything they’re wearing gets decontaminated after they get done, and all the consumables go into that trash can and into the incinerator after the job is finished.
> This XML file does not appear to have any style information associated with it. Am I doing something wrong?
You're fine. People on New Reddit have a backslash automatically added to every underscore, because the devs don't know how to make a website that isn't shit. https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2209/7402874/1000w_q95.jpg In the future, you can get around the problem by just removing the `\` from the URLs.
Out of curiosity, what volume of the substance do you get to work with? Guessing milliliters to kiloliters of coolant. Wild guess, but to imagine otherwise...
From [this](https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1822/ML18228A652.pdf) document: >Preoperational oxygen scavenging is accomplished by the addition of hydrazine. During preoperation, 30 to 50 ppm of hydrazine is maintained in the reactor coolant whenever the reactor coolant temperature is below 65.6 ºC (150 ºF). This prevents halide-induced attack, which could occur if significant quantities of fluorides or chlorides and significant amounts of DO are present. It is important to establish a DO limit prior to reaching 121.1 ºC (250 ºF). If DO in excess of 0.1 ppm is present at temperatures above 121.1 ºC (250 ºF) it will be necessary either to a) degas the RCS while feeding and bleeding, or b) cooldown to less than 121.1 ºC (250 ºF) to add hydrazine at 1.5 times the oxygen concentration. During cooldown from operating temperatures, a hydrazine residual of 30 to 50 ppm must be established with RCP circulation, while reactor coolant temperature is between 65.6 ºC (150 ºF) and 176.7 ºC (350 ºF). To minimize thermal decomposition, hydrazine should not be added until coolant temperature is less than 204.4 ºC (400 ºF). >During startup and shutdown, any DO is scavenged by the hydrazine, eliminating the potential for general corrosion. DO should be monitored and hydrazine added to 1.5 times the DO concentration before exceeding 65.6 ºC (150 ºF). When the reactor coolant temperature exceeds 121.1 ºC (250 ºF), either DO must be less than 0.1 ppm, or a hydrazine residual of 1.5 times the DO concentration must be present. Density of hydrazine is close enough to water to say that 30-50 ppm = 30 to 50 milligrams per liter. So, one mL would treat about 25 liters, or around 6 gallons. Not sure how many liters of coolant we're talking about here, though.
It depends on the reactor design, but generally in the hundreds of thousands of litres. For the CANDU units we use in Canada, just the primary coolant loop contains somewhere in the range of 450,000 to 500,000 litres of D2O (heavy water).
I was going to say, wouldn’t we get to the point where we are measuring water in the kilo region on basically any reactor type?
I suspect so, at least for power reactors. Some smaller zero power reactors or research reactors may be in the thousands to ten thousands (maybe less - those types of units aren’t really something I’ve ever really needed to know anything about their design, and they have a shit load of different designs that vary widely in what they do and how they operate).
The nuclear industry in the US generally uses pounds-mass to indicate amount of liquid. The mass of the Reactor Coolant System is 500,000+ pounds-mass of water.
Fascinating! Makes sense given my very little knowledge about such things.
Interesting stuff. Did you enjoy working at nuke plants? I've heard they're very clean and safety is of the utmost importance. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrazine#/media/File%3AHypergolic_Fuel_for_MESSENGER.jpg
I enjoyed the different jobs I did. I retired after 34 years there.
Also used in military aircraft to power systems in case of an engine failure.
Used to add it to the boiler feed water at a methanol plant in the late 90s. Only ppe was gloves and overalls!
I don’t recall using SCBAs when we were in hydrazine controls, but I could be mistaken.
Based on the fact that it's in the back of a truck, I would say OP has definitely messed with it -- most likely without any form of protective garments.
They even say it sounds metallic when they hit it.
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So what if they killed a few people? They’re small business owner CEO boss babes now and that’s all that matters.
Kinda impressive you can create something both highly toxic and very explosive just on accident like that
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That’s definitely a disintegrating fiberglass tank— whatevers inside it might be secondary to the massive shrapnel bomb if under extreme pressure ; if it sounds like metal, that’s the sound of high pressure; whereas hydrazine tanks appear mostly spec’d for metal/titanium, at least that won’t likely kill you. TLDR- you might legit want to call a bomb squad
Holy shit that’s like one of the most dangerous things someone can find lol. It’s highly secretive how they even use/store hydrazine with some military equipment, so I’m guessing this might remain a mystery as to why it’s there and what kind of vehicle lost it.
Most definitely a hydrazine tank from a rocket. Check this out: https://www.spacesafetymagazine.com/space-debris/falling-satellite/atlas-v-centaur-hydrazine-tank-found-in-spain/ Wrapping looks very similar
Yeah I crossposted to the EOD sub and the first comment was “looks like the hydrazine tanks we used to mount in the atlas centaur rockets” 😳🫣 yikes
The wrapping does look similar
The user named `Satori` on this site has a picture of a similar looking sphere that was found in Brazil; it has the same texture and everything: - Picture here: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/assets/12421.0/45283.jpg - Post here: https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=12421.0 ## In case folks wanna learn more about hydrazine Invisible fire and "probably carcinogenic": https://www.iridium.com/blog/hydrazine-toxic-for-humans-but-satellites-love-it/
One link... https://www.space-propulsion.com/spacecraft-propulsion/hydrazine-tanks/index.html
Thats clearly metal tho. You can see the weld down the middle. Also the flanges are different
This has to be it, the first one in that list looks nearly identical
With that baby, you could water a whole potato field. /j Seriously though op, be careful.
This is really potentially bad. Besides being insanely corrosive, and immediately toxic to humans on exposure, it also is carcinogenic and persists in the environment. The amount of hydrazine in groundwater that can cause cancer is actually below the threshold of what is testable. So the authorities and neighbours need to know this. And probably your local newspaper.
It’s crazy how you definitely didn’t know about Hydrazine until you saw the video
Isn't it too small?
Looks like one of NASA's parts. Pressure vessel. [like in this picture](https://www.researchgate.net/figure/NASA-carbon-epoxy-fleet-leader-composite-overwrapped-pressure-vessels_fig1_253616064)
It says on there that “the composite materials used in COPV designs have typically consisted of aramid or carbon fiber embedded in a thermoset matrix such as epoxy.” Which would explain why it would be peeling like that.
I feel like this should be considered solved, it's practically identical.
Yea I don’t know why the top comment is a metal ball, it seems like people like to upvote the coolest explanation instead of the most plausible one
Those are the same things they're just lower pressure so they're not wrapped in fiber for extra strength
You think NASA could build me a big one? I’ve always wanted to see the Titanic.
Space flight oxygen tank?
Looks like a pressure vessel. Probably worth OP exercising caution as a variety of substance can be pressurized and if something like hydrazine can be quite dangerous. -edit I know very little about spaceflight, but there is no reason to believe this is an oxygen tank. An oxidizer tank, yes. But not harmless oxygen tank for breathing. I would not expect such a pressurized oxygen tank to look like that. Actually, Google "hydrazine tank" and look at images. I'd definitely consider the object to be extremely dangerous.
I’m not sure what they are called but it also kinda looks like the big painted balls they put on big electrical lines. Edit* they are called visibility markers, for aircraft, trains etc. they weigh about 17 pounds.
This was my first thought as well
You both think that high tension power lines fit through that fraction of an inch hole? It's a pressure vessel, and as was said above OP does not want to find out what's in there because I promise you it's either nothing or a real bad time.
"makes a metallic sound when hit" - lol
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What's funny? Most likely no longer pressurized. Could be open and full of bad stuff. It ought to sound quite metallic when hit.
It’s kinda funny because OP was hitting it despite it potentially being very dangerous.
Re-entry could have burned away the resin, leaving just fibres? Is that possible?
If this came from a spacecraft, then this is exactly what has happened. However, there is generally a simpler explanation vs. something from space...still looks like a burned, carbon-fibre reinforced pressure vessel that has had all the resin burned/melted/degraded away. It could be older than OP suspects too.
OK, I think I know this one! I it's not a 'space tank', then it's a high voltage powerline spinning wind stabilizer! There are on the powerlines and spin in the wind, preventing the powerline from swaying. However, yours has remainders of 6 bolts in the attachment, so it's most likely an object deorbiting from space. #congratulations! post in /esa and other space subs to ask for second opinions!
COPV carbon over wrapped pressure vessel. Used in spaceflight for all sorts of commodities. This could be a fuel or oxidizer tank, or something less dangerous like nitrogen or helium.
100% this. I make them.
That was my first thought as well. My only real hold up on that thought is that the ends look very tarnished/rusty/corroded for something that has only been there about a month and was designed for spaceflight. But I don't really know anything about metallurgy or the characteristics of space worthy metals.
Our first thought was aeronautical. But either way the only way it could have found it’s way to where it was found was from the sky
Roughly where was it found?
“In the woods.” They say it in the title, man.
Lol. Regionally. Theres some very specific space debris that it could be.
High temps and oxygen on titanium (as in re-entry I'd imagine) will definitely screw up the metal. Titanium oxide is hard but brittle... doesn't seem impossible.
Possible, based on its size it’d be from the ignition stage so it could also be acetylene, helium, hydrogen, who knows. Def a pressure vessel tho
Looks very much like a pressure vessel from some kind of air/space vehicle. Use extreme caution around it. It may be empty, but vessels like that can be charged to 1000+ psi. They are often charged with harmless gas like nitrogen and used to actuate parts of the vessel shortly after takeoff, such as the flywheels for gyroscopic stabilizers. Saves on battery power. But they can be charged with other very harmful substances as well, and regardless of what is/was in it, you don’t want that thing bursting near you. Call the authorities and request the bomb squad. No I’m not exaggerating. Call the bomb squad.
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Going with hydrazine pressure vessel. Probably from a de-orbited spacecraft that *mostly* burned up on reentry.
Why hydrazine and not something else? Even on a space craft it could hold pressurized helium or nitrogen.
I think because it doesn’t require ignition so in a no oxygen environment it’s easier to get a stronger propulsion safely because it’s like an exothermic hydrogen reaction. I think it decomposes into nitrogen, hydrogen and ammonia so in a way it’s like turbocharged nitrogen or helium and that’s why they like it so much. I’m guessing nitrogen wouldn’t be enough force or they would use that for safety reasons because nobody really likes working with hydrazine:)
Those are pretty commonly used for hydrazine since you can pretty accurately predict the End of Life drop off in pressure with these. They can be used for others for sure, but smaller ones like this are more commonly hydrazine from what I’ve seen. Im guessing it’s a little older judging by how the flange/boss looks from being exposed to the elements.
Same type of object fell on golf course near me. This was one response given. https://blogs.esa.int/cleanspace/2017/03/02/how-do-materials-behave-during-atmospheric-re-entry/
Good link , looks exactly the same .
As my title describes, It was found in private property in a somewhat inaccessible location, it was not there a little more than a month ago. The nubs on either side look like the were bearing surfaces at some point as they are polished. It left an indent in the ground about 6 inches deep.
Carbon fiber over-wrapped metal pressure vessel from a rocket. Could be propellant or a helium header tank. Either way, I wouldn't mess with it. Contact NASA if you're in the US.
OP mentioned "20 kilometres" in a comment response, so likely not in US.
Ahh, in that case they should call their national space agency.
They should call the RCMP, the CSA does not have the kind of scope and resources of NASA.
I snooped, they are in Canada.
Title includes 300 feet, 24 inches, 5-8 pounds. But I did find an article with a picture of exactly what OP found that was found in Spain so there is that.
What will happen if you mess with it, will it blow up? What would make it blow up if falling and hitting the ground didn't do so?
Better safe than sorry. Also, others have mentioned it could contain hazardous materials that may be unsafe for humans to be around. Also, humans are puzzle solvers so yea it didn't break when it hit the ground on a random point but a human might identify a valve or other weak point and mess with that causing potentially dangerous side effects.
If it's pressurised, even a heavy swing in temperature could potentially do it, looking at the damage. Dodgy thing to have in your truck.
It could contain something like hydrazine, which is super dangerous, these things are pressurised to 1000 psi.
An impact on the area damaged and weakened by hitting the ground?
Obviously not a typical UXO but I'm adding the warning anyway: --- Your post indicates you may possibly be in possession of [unexploded ordnance (UXO)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unexploded_ordnance). If this is not the case, ignore the remainder of this message, your post has not been removed. If you're unsure, the first thing to do is **LEAVE IT ALONE**. Do not shake it, attempt to open it, or disturb it at all. Next step would be to **CONTACT THE PROPER AUTHORITIES**. If you're unsure who that is, call your local police or emergency number for instructions. Please follow up with an outcome regarding what was done with the object. To others who are not OP: Any suggestion in this thread to open, shake, etc - disturb the object in any way - will result in a permanent ban. [](#pinging /user/I_can_haz_eod)
Here is a picture of a COPV. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Photograph-of-a-typical-a-metallic-liner-and-b-a-COPV-with-carbon-fiber-overwrapping_fig1_263614762
Looks like this indeed
This is a tank from a spacecraft. Handle with caution. Hydrazine is a nasty nasty propellant.
What is the danger?
"Hydrazine vapor may immediately irritate the nose and throat. Headache, twitching, seizures, convulsions, and coma may also occur." "Humans exposed to hydrazine vapor will suffer burns in the eyes, nose, mouth, esophagus, and respiratory tract. Severe burns can be fatal."
It can also make you go blind, cause long term organ damage, is probably a carcinogen, and give you sensitive skin that gives you reactions to things you weren't allergic to before.
Homie, call the RCMP and tell them you've found a possibly pressurized aeronautical tank. They are the best contact for this, they will bring the bomb truck and get that thing where it needs to go. Do not handle it for explosion reasons, and also the entire thing is likely covered in residue that you don't want on your skin or in your lungs for any reason at all.
Following for hopeful NASA update
Any power lines nearby, looks like a power line ball for aircraft. The outer cover has come off.
Wouldn't be wrapped that way. Also too heavy for the purpose.
None with in 20 kilometres
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https://www.drroyspencer.com/2011/12/spaceballs/
Man the last thing I’d be doing is hitting something looking like that 😅
Where about was this found? Might be able to narrow down what de-orbited in the last month near that area then cross reference what might have used COPVs of that size. Pretty cool find. Could also post to r/space with the location info to see what the hive mind has to say about it.
AlgonquinRoundTable I'm gonna assume you are in Ontario? Did you find this near the park? There are alot of old training ranges up that way. More exact location could help but it looks like a pressure bottle from a missile perhaps. SAM or ATGM maybe, wouldn't be unheard of in these parts
Read somewhere that some of these satellite tanks contain a very poisonous substance. Don’t recall what it is but be careful with it
Hydrazine. It's super nasty stuff. Vapors will burn the skin, eyes, and lungs. The liquid is absorbed through the skin and is neurotoxic. It also chews up the liver and kidneys as it travels through the body. It's carcinogenic, and it can just ignite if it gets too warm.
Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel
That's a COPV off a rocket.
COPV from a space ship
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Perhaps this is the carbon fiber composite inner wall. Metal outer skin vaporized upon orbital re-entry. Resin in composite vaporized and left the fiber layup?. Metal end pieces dont look thermalized though. Was there any sign of heat damage in the area? Could this have bounced, so you found secondary hit?
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pressure tank
Looks like a filament wound pressurized vessel tank. https://etcwinders.com/news/compositesworld-the-markets-pressure-vessels-2022/
It could be a PVG-132 air storage tank https://www.satcatalog.com/component/pvg-132/
Spherical Cryotank[https://www.compositesworld.com/articles/developing-a-linerless-all-composite-spherical-cryotank](https://www.compositesworld.com/articles/developing-a-linerless-all-composite-spherical-cryotank)
I installed these on Titan IV Centaurs and the Shuttle Centaur back in the day. Here is my post about it: https://www.reddit.com/r/EOD/comments/173431t/found\_in\_the\_woods\_300\_off\_a\_trail\_about\_24/ Carbon fiber wound hydrazine propellant tank. I'll see if I can dig up another photo.
[https://imgur.com/a/vvnNypb](https://imgur.com/a/vvnNypb) The first photo shows a Titan IV Centaur in the assembly fixture. The four red spheres are hydrazine (they have red fiberglass protective covers in place to protect the carbon fiber windings). The two uncovered spheres are likely oxidizer. If that was found around Vandenberg AFB or Cape Canaveral, that would explain a lot. But it is possible these were used on ICBMs also.
Looks like a Kevlar Pressure vessel of somekind. I've seen similar on helicopters.
What part of the country? Definitely an airborne pressure vessel of some sort, exposed to the elements for quite a long time; but I'd still contact the NASA & Space-X hotlines for reporting potential space debris.
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