Space debris found on fire near WA mining town suspected to be from Chinese rocket

Suspected space debris has been found burning on a remote road in Newman, in Western Australia. Photograph: Western Australia Police Force

Burning space debris that crashed to Earth in outback Australia is likely part of a Chinese rocket that launched in September, according to leading space archaeologist Alice Gorman.

Authorities are investigating the hunk of metal and carbon fibre after miners spotted it near Newman, Western Australia on Saturday afternoon.