It is unlikely that space debris from the Chinese launch vehicle will fall to Earth in the coming days. Says the Chinese Foreign Ministry. The missile will likely return to the atmosphere on Sunday.
Wang Winbin, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said the missile would be burned and destroyed when it was returned indoors. He stressed in a press conference on Friday that “the possibility of damage in the air or on the ground is very unlikely.”
Lunch cart
China launched the “Long March 5B” launch vehicle last Thursday. It was the beginning of the construction of the Chinese space station Tiangong (Paradise Palace).
Part of the missile is now in Earth orbit. The launch vehicle gradually loses altitude, but because the projectile is orbiting the Earth rapidly, it is difficult to predict where and when it will enter the atmosphere.
Space experts had already warned on Tuesday of a resurgence of “uncontrolled” entry. The design of the missile does not allow the vehicle to be directed to collapse at a certain point after launch. The United States does not rule out the possibility of debris falling into a densely populated area and is monitoring the situation closely.
If the launch vehicle does not completely burn out, space debris in Europe could collapse, according to specialists from the European Space Agency. Parts of Spain, Italy and Greece are in the danger zone identified by the specialists. Any remnants of the missile could also collide with the sea.
The missile may return to the atmosphere between about 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm on a Sunday.
Wang Winbin, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said the missile would be burned and destroyed when it was returned indoors. He stressed in a press conference on Friday that “the possibility of damage in the air or on the ground is very unlikely.” China launched the “Long March 5B” launch vehicle last Thursday. It was the beginning of the construction of the Chinese space station Tiangong (Paradise Palace). Part of the missile is now in Earth orbit. The launch vehicle gradually loses altitude, but because the projectile is orbiting the Earth rapidly, it is difficult to predict where and when it will enter the atmosphere. Space experts had already warned on Tuesday of a resurgence of “uncontrolled” entry. The design of the missile does not allow the vehicle to be directed to collapse at a certain point after launch. The United States does not rule out the possibility of debris falling into a densely populated area and is monitoring the situation closely. If the launch vehicle does not completely burn out, space debris in Europe could collapse, according to specialists from the European Space Agency. Parts of Spain, Italy and Greece are in the danger zone identified by the specialists. Any remnants of the missile could also collide with the sea. The missile may return to the atmosphere between about 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm on a Sunday.
