China rocket crashes uncontrollably: Nasa sharply criticizes – “irresponsible”

Created: 07/31/2022, 09:23

By: Martina Lippl

Debris from a Chinese missile is said to have hit the ground in an uncontrolled manner.

The location of the impact uncertain.

NASA is furious.

Colorado Springs - It's a matter of time.

The Chinese Long March 5B missile is on a collision course with Earth.

The rocket entered the earth's atmosphere on Saturday.

This was announced by the US Army Space Command on Twitter.

At 18:45 German time she was over the Indian Ocean.

The US Space Command did not provide any further details.

It is unclear where the missile's debris fell to earth.

According to experts, the probability that people or populated areas will be hit is extremely low. 

25 tons of space debris: China rocket type "Long March 5B" crashes uncontrolled from space

Nevertheless, there was criticism from NASA.

It is risky and irresponsible not to publish information about the trajectory of the Long March 5B missile.

"The People's Republic of China has not shared any specific trajectory information," NASA CEO Bill Nelson wrote on Twitter.

However, this type of information exchange is "crucial for the responsible use of space and the safety of people here on earth".

Especially with rocket types like "Long March 5B" there is "a significant risk of loss of life and property".

Own space station: China is pursuing an ambitious space project

China had previously received criticism from NASA for the fact that the rocket did not break up into smaller parts when it entered the atmosphere, as is the international standard.

But China is pursuing its ambitious space project called the Palace of Heaven (Tiangong).

China builds space station Tiangong (Heaven's Palace) - New outpost in space

The core module for the space station is called "Tianhe" (Heavenly Harmony).

It is 16.6 meters long with a diameter of 4.2 meters.

It provides power and drive.

Three astronauts can stay on board for up to six months.

Three more modules in space are planned.

Including two 20-ton laboratory modules.

The Tiangong (Heaven's Palace) space station is at an altitude of about 370 kilometers.

The country launched the second module for its "Tiangong" (Heaven's Palace) space station, which is currently under construction, last Sunday.

The Long March 5B rocket brought the module with a laboratory into orbit within a few minutes.

China's space agency spoke of a "complete success" after the launch.

The new module is to dock with the core module "Tianhe", which was launched in April 2021.

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The Long March 5 launch vehicle lifted off from the spaceport on the southern Chinese island of Hainan on July 23.

© Guo Cheng/dpa

According to this, in May 2021, the remains of a rocket used for this purpose fell into the Indian Ocean near the Maldives archipelago.

According to China's space program, "most of it" was burned up and destroyed when it re-entered the Earth's atmosphere.

China's Tiangong-1 space station crashed in the South Pacific in April 2018. 

China soon alone in space?

"Heaven's Palace" is taking shape - US experts expect a lightning start

China is pushing ahead with its space program.

The space station will be assembled soon.

Beijing's space explorers explore the far side of the moon, and a spacecraft orbits Mars.