I hate it when moorings break off like this!

[dogjones]

http://www.namibian.com.na/news/ful...etal-ball-from-space-falls-in-omusati-region/

AN as-yet-unidentified metallic ball was discovered in the Omusati Region last month, but officials at the National Forensic Science Institute are at a loss as to where it came from or what its purpose is.

 

[paiute]

Fuel tank from a satellite:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/npdemers/4451626178/

 

[dogjones]

Cool, thanks for that!

 

[WhatRoughBeast]

Fuel tank from a satellite:

Well of course they'd say that, wouldn't they?

[cue ominous music]

And since the linked article says it's hollow, you just know somebody's going to drill into it, right?

[/cue ominous music]

 

[TSR]

.
Moorings have broken? Like the first mooring?
.

 

[casebro]

I guess titanium spheres are pretty good at re-entry.

 

[Jrrarglblarg]

It used to be said that objects heat due to friction with atmosphere on reentry, but analysis of the stuff that survives intact suggests that the most significant mechanism is actually compression heating of the air on the leading edge.

Vaguely aerodynamic shapes like spherical tanks are going to have less compression loading and have nice turbulence pockets at the trailing edge slowing them down.