23-ton space rocket body to fall to Earth
No one knows exactly where the rocket body will fall. But any debris from space is unlikely to hit humans. Experts can only estimate how much of the Long March rocket body, roughly the size of a 10-story building, will hit Earth.
- World
- A News
- Published Date: 09:45 | 03 November 2022
- Modified Date: 10:04 | 03 November 2022
China successfully launched the third and final piece of the new Tiangong Space Station on Monday, and the rocket's 23-ton body will fall back to Earth this weekend.
But most of the areas where debris can rain down will be open oceans or deserted lands.
No one knows exactly where the rocket body will fall. But any debris from space is unlikely to hit humans.
Experts can only estimate how much of the Long March rocket body, roughly the size of a 10-story building, will hit Earth.
Some of it will likely burn as it travels through the atmosphere, but the rocket body is too large to completely disintegrate.
Experts at Aerospace Corporation have estimated that between 20 percent and 40 percent of the mass of a large object could land on Earth as it falls through the atmosphere.
It's too early to predict exactly where the rocket, which will likely land in pieces, will land.
According to estimates, almost all of the pieces will fall into desolate lands or the ocean.
Yet space industry leaders have condemned China's uncontrolled re-entry, saying it poses an unnecessary risk to human life and properties.
- Germany's Scholz to meet Chinese President Xi in Beijing
- Zelensky says he will not attend G20 summit if Putin is present
- Russia says Britain ‘too deep’ into Ukraine conflict
- Pelosi hammer attack suspect was in U.S. illegally, immigration officials say
- Man United beat Sociedad 1-0, Spanish side top group