Chinese rocket debris forces Spain to close airspace

SPAIN was forced to close its airspace yesterday when an out-of-control Chinese rocket plummeted to Earth.

The Long March 5B (CZ-5B), China’s most powerful rocket, blasted off on Oct 31 from southern China to deliver the final module of its under-construction Tiangong space station. Spain closed the airspace over north-eastern Catalonia and three other regions as remnants of the rocket were expected to pass by.

The European Union Space Surveillance and Tracking service said the debris would likely enter the atmosphere in the Atlantic, but also warned that Spain, Portugal and Italy were within its potential trajectory.

It added: “The statistical probability of an impact on the ground in populated areas is low. These predictions, however, come with uncertainties.”