Chinese rocket segment disintegrates over Indian Ocean
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BEIJING, May 9, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – A large segment of a Chinese rocket re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere and disintegrated over the Indian Ocean on Sunday, the Chinese space agency said, following fevered speculation over where the 18-tonne object would come down.
Officials in Beijing had said there was little risk from the freefalling segment of the Long March-5B rocket, which had launched the first module of China’s new space station into Earth orbit on April 29.
“After monitoring and analysis, at 10:24 (0224 GMT) on May 9, 2021, the last-stage wreckage of the Long March 5B Yao-2 launch vehicle has reentered the atmosphere,” the China Manned Space Engineering Office said in a statement, providing coordinates for a point in the Indian Ocean near the Maldives.
Rocket debris landed in Indian Ocean, China says
May 9, 2021
China s Long March 5B rocket crashed back to Earth on Sunday morning, landing in the Indian Ocean just west of the Maldives, the China Manned Space Engineering Office announced. Most of the debris from the rocket, which was launched in April, reportedly burned up when it re-entered the Earth s atmosphere. The risk of the rocket causing significant damage was considered low, but experts were a little more concerned than usual because the 40,000-pound Long March was out of control and traveling at a high speed, making it very difficult to predict where it would land. While it appears the worst was avoided, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson still expressed displeasure with Beijing. Spacefaring nations must minimize the risks to people and property on Earth of re-entries of space objects and maximize transparency regarding those operations, he said. China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris.
Chinese Rocket Debris Flew Above Hyderabad Before Crashing On Earth May 09, 2021, 13:49 IST
A large segment of China s largest rocket re-entered the Earth s atmosphere and disintegrated over the Indian Ocean on Sunday. According to the Chinese space agency, a bulk amount of its components were destroyed upon re-entry into the Earth s atmosphere.
Officials in Beijing had said there was little risk from the freefalling segment of the Long March-5B rocket, which had launched the first module of China s new space station into Earth orbit on April 29.
The China Manned Space Engineering Office released a statement that After monitoring and analysis, at 10:24 (0224 GMT) on May 9, 2021, the last-stage wreckage of the Long March 5B Yao-2 launch vehicle has re-entered the atmosphere.
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