Debris from the Chinese rocket hurdling back to earth at 18,000 miles per hour has landed in the Indian Ocean, according to Chinese officials.
The fragments landed at 2:24 am local time, according to the China National Space Administration.
The CNSA/CMS official account on Weibo confirms that #LongMarch5 CZ5B booster has reentered at 02:24 UTC, May 9. The location of the reentry is 72.47°E, 2.65°N. https://t.co/1vJXD5P7LW The CMS website appears to be down, though.
— Ye Quanzhi (叶泉志) (@Yeqzids) May 9, 2021
The Chinese Long March 5B rocket reentered at 0224 UTC at 72.47E 2.65N which is right over the Maldives, a small archipelago in the Indian Ocean.
“If correct will be interesting to see if we get reports from there,” astronomer Center for Astrophysics Jonathan McDowell said.
China now reporting https://t.co/dHSJVoItCY that the rocket reentered at 0224 UTC at 72.47E 2.65N which is right over the Maldives. If correct will be interesting to see if we get reports from there pic.twitter.com/NQovz33pqg
— Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) May 9, 2021
“It appears China won its gamble… But it was still reckless,” McDowell said.
An ocean reentry was always statistically the most likely. It appears China won its gamble (unless we get news of debris in the Maldives). But it was still reckless
— Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) May 9, 2021
Earlier this week it was reported that debris from the rocket could have landed in New York.
When asked how the US would respond if fragments of the rocket landed in the US, Jen Psaki declined to comment.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the military would not shoot down the 46,000 pound of rocket fragments if it was set to land in the US.