Large segment of Chinese rocket to tumble back to Earth in uncontrolled re-entry
Re-entry is expected to be around 2300 GMT on Saturday, according to the Pentagon, with a window of nine hours either side.
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A Long March 5B rocket carrying a module for a Chinese space station lifts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Wenchang. (Photo| AP) By AFP
BEIJING: A large segment of a Chinese rocket is expected to make an uncontrolled re-entry into the Earth s atmosphere on the weekend, but Beijing has downplayed fears and said there is a very low risk of any damage.
Department of Defense warned that a Chinese rocket hurtling unpredictably back to Earth could crash on a populated area on Saturday, May 8. The Pentagon added that it could not determine at this point where the space junk would land, but reports suggested the range of its potential impact region included New York.
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U.S. Space Command is aware of and tracking the location of the Chinese Long March 5B in space, but its exact entry point into the Earth’s atmosphere cannot be pinpointed until within hours of its re-entry, which is expected around May 8,” Pentagon spokesperson Mike Howard said, adding that the government would provide additional information as it became available.
Long March 5 are heavy rockets developed by China to be a cornerstone of its space ambitions.
It can carry weights of up to 55,000lbs into low Earth orbit, and 31,000 into geostationary orbit.
The two stage rocket is similar in capability to the US Delta IV Heavy - and is regarded as the third most powerful rocket in the world after the Delta and SpaceX s Flacon Heavy.
It is 187ft high, 16ft in diameter and weighs an incredible 1,883,900lbs.
Seven of the rockets have been launched - with one failure back in July 2017.
China has another seven launches planned - including two more delivering parts to an under construction space station in 2022.