US hits out as Chinese rocket debris hits Earth
BEIJING: Remnants of a Chinese rocket landed in the Indian Ocean on Sunday, with most of its components destroyed upon re-entry into the atmosphere, drawing criticism from the United States over lack of transparency.
The coordinates given by Chinese state media, citing the China Manned Space Engineering Office, put the point of impact in the ocean west of the Maldives archipelago.
Debris from the Long March 5B had people looking warily skyward since it blasted off from China’s Hainan island on April 29, but the China Manned Space Engineering Office said most of the debris was burnt up in the atmosphere.
“The debris of the last stage of the Long March-5B Y2 carrier rocket re-entered the atmosphere at 10:24 a.m. on Sunday (Beijing Time),” China’s official news agency Xinhua reported. “The vast majority of the device burned up during the re-entry,” it said.
Remnants of China’s biggest rocket landed in the Indian Ocean near Maldives on Sunday, ending days of speculation over where the debris would hit but drawing criticism over lack of responsibility over space debris. A look at what happened, and why it sparked international outrage
A LARGE SEGMENT OF ROCKET DISINTEGRATED ON RE-ENTRY INTO THE ATMOSPHERE, LANDING AT THIS LOCATION NEAR MALDIVES
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ROCKET ON RE-ENTRY?
The core segment of its biggest rocket re-entered Earth’s atmosphere above the Maldives. Chinese officials said most of the parts of the rocket burned up in the air and “very little” came back l People in Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia reported sightings of the Chinese rocket debris on social media, with scores of users posting footage of the debris piercing the early dawn skies.
EXPERTS SAID it was just lucky that it landed in open waters
“An ocean re-entry was always statistically the most likely. It appears China won its gamble… But it was still reckless.” —JONATHAN McDOWELL, Harvard astrophysicist, who tracked the tumbling rocket part
THE CONTROVERSY
Nasa said China behaved irresponsibly, as an uncontrolled re-entry of such a large object risked damage and casualties. "Spacefaring nations must minimise the risks to people and property on Earth of re-entries of space objects… China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris.” —SEN. BILL NELSON, Nasa admin
What happens to rockets on re-entry?
Objects generate immense amounts of heat and friction when they enter the atmosphere, which generally causes them to burn up. But larger ones such as the Long March-5B do not get destroyed. Their wreckage can land and may cause damage, though that risk is low.
LAST YEAR, debris from another Chinese Long March rocket fell on villages in the Ivory Coast, causing structural damage but no injuries or deaths.
CHINA PLAYS DOWN RISK
Beijing said that the vast majority of items were burned beyond recognition during the re-entry process and that there was little risk from the freefalling segment. Chinese state tabloid Global Times slammed US concerns as "shameless hype". "Washington will keep nitpicking and discrediting Beijing over the construction of (the) space station," it said
China plans 10 MORE LAUNCHES to carry additional parts of the space station into orbit