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Tags: china | rocket | space | science | crash

Uncontrolled Chinese Rocket Debris Crashes Into Indian Ocean

a rocket ascends

A Long March 5B rocket lifts off from the the Wenchang launch site on China's southern Hainan island on May 5, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

By    |   Saturday, 30 July 2022 07:01 PM EDT

Officials said Saturday that the remnants from an out-of-control Chinese Long March 5B rocket reentered the Earth’s atmosphere over the Indian Ocean around 1 p.m. EST.

"#USSPACECOM can confirm the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Long March 5B (CZ-5B) re-entered over the Indian Ocean at approx 10:45 am MDT on 7/30. We refer you to the #PRC for further details on the reentry’s technical aspects such as potential debris dispersal+ impact location," the agency said in a post on Twitter.

The rocket took off from Hainan Island July 24 to deliver a module to China's space station, but after the successful delivery of the module, the rocket descended uncontrolled back to Earth.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said on Twitter Saturday that China did not give out any specifics on the debris trajectory or ultimate location.

"All spacefaring nations should follow established best practices and do their part to share this type of information in advance to allow reliable predictions of potential debris impact risk, especially for heavy-lift vehicles, like the Long March 5B, which carry a significant risk of loss of life and property," the former senator’s posts read. "Doing so is critical to the responsible use of space and to ensure the safety of people here on Earth."

This is the third time in recent years that a Chinese rocket has come back to Earth without control.

Another Long March 5B rocket fell to Earth uncontrolled in May 2021, eventually landing in the Indian Ocean as well.

"Spacefaring nations must minimize the risks to people and property on Earth of re-entries of space objects and maximize transparency regarding those operations," CNN reported Nelson said in a statement at the time. "China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris."

According to the 2021 CNN report, the Long March 5B rocket is about 108 feet tall and weighs about 40,000 pounds.

In the 2021 incident, the rocket delivered a piece of the new space station and then ran out of fuel for its return and was dragged back down to Earth by gravity.

A third Long March 5B rocket crashed back during its reentry to Earth in 2020, and a piece of the Chinese space station itself broke apart over the Pacific Ocean in 2018, according to the report.

The report said that while most pieces of space debris burn up upon reentering the atmosphere, large pieces like these rockets could survive the descent and crash on the surface.

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Newsfront
Officials said Saturday that the remnants from an out-of-control Chinese Long March 5B rocket reentered the Earth's atmosphere over the Indian Ocean around 1 p.m. EST.
china, rocket, space, science, crash
412
2022-01-30
Saturday, 30 July 2022 07:01 PM
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