Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

LOOK OUT BELOW! CHINA’S HEAVY-LIFT ROCKET DUE FOR UNCONTROLLED REENTRY WITHIN DAYS
hackaday.com ^ | 04/30/2021 | Tom Nardi

Posted on 05/01/2021 5:51:50 PM PDT by BenLurkin

On April 28th, China successfully put the core module of their Tianhe space station into orbit with the latest version of the Long March 5B heavy-lift booster. This rocket, designed for launching large objects into low Earth orbit, is unique in that the 33.16 m (108.8 ft) first stage carries the payload all the way to orbit rather than separating at a lower altitude. Unfortunately, despite an international effort to limit unnecessary space debris, the first stage of the Long March 5B booster is now tumbling through space and is expected to make an uncontrolled reentry sometime in the next few days.

The massive booster has been given the COSPAR ID 2021-035-B, and ground tracking stations are currently watching it closely to try and determine when and where it will reenter the Earth’s atmosphere. As of this writing it’s in a relatively low orbit of 169 x 363 km, which should decay rapidly given the object’s large surface area. Due to the variables involved it’s impossible to pinpoint where the booster will reenter this far out, but the concern is that should it happen over a populated area, debris from the 21 metric ton (46,000 pound) booster could hit the ground.

(Excerpt) Read more at hackaday.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: booster; china; chinarocket; heavyliftrocket; longmarch5b; reentry; spacestation; tianhe; tianhespacestation; uncontrolled; uncontrolledreentry
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-63 last
To: doorgunner69
"Looks like the orbit during the time of interest is over S America, Africa and S Asia."

So accepting that, it doesn't look it could come down on the fortified Capitol of occupied USA.

61 posted on 05/02/2021 5:39:44 PM PDT by Truth29
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: dynachrome

You called it!

Sending in my extra $20 for missing Gulf of Mexico.


62 posted on 05/09/2021 9:42:25 AM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire. Or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Ha. I’d forgotten about this. (I put in extra the first of the month, anyway.)


63 posted on 05/09/2021 9:49:40 AM PDT by dynachrome ("I will not be reconstructed, and I do not give a damn.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-63 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson