Missile steps fall to the ground uncontrollably – it is unclear where they collide

It was in March that China showed the main unity To the country’s future space station, which is expected to be completed next year. Tianhe consists of three parts, the unit measures 16.6 x 4.2 meters, and weighs 20 tons.

On April 29, the unit was launched in low orbit with the Chinese Long March 5B missile, and unfortunately a missile move also occurred in orbit – 30 meters long and 21 tons weight means that the country has now created among the largest uncontrolled comebacks in the history of the space race. They are reports Interesting geometry.

The main stage is seven times larger than the second stage of the Falcon 9 missile. On Tuesday, the segment traveled at an altitude of just over 300 km at a speed of 27,600 km / h, then cut one revolution around the Earth every 90 minutes.

During the previous launch of the Long March 5B missile, the missile ended up raining long metal parts over the Ivory Coast, destroying a number of buildings, according to reports. Watchman, Who interviewed the astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell. Fortunately, no one has been infected with the space junk.

According to ESS calculations, it will likely begin diving to Earth on the evening of May 9 – however, the European Space Agency is leaving room for a margin of error for an entire day. Space News As widespread as New York State, Madrid or Beijing, bids for where the move could land are reported to a crash site as far south as New Zealand or southern Chile.

How much material can survive to the surface of the earth? It’s hard to answer without knowing the design, says Holger Krag, head of the European Space Agency’s Office of Space Safety, but the general rule is that between 20 to 40 percent of the dry mass reaches Earth. Then it mainly concerns parts in stainless steel and titanium – such as tanks and motors. Then they run off at lethal speed.