China’s falling rocket re-entry onto earth expected Sunday afternoon

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 – China’s Long March 5B rocket, which has been orbiting earth the past few days is predicted to make its reentry into earth’s space by 3.30 Sunday afternoon (Malaysian time).

The rocket, which has been tumbling towards earth after launching on April 29 the first module for China’s future Tianhe space station, failed to follow a pre-determined path back to earth.

Several space agencies including NASA, US’ Aerospace Corporation and Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos. have been tracking the tumbling of the rocket which launched China’s first module for its Tianhe future space station on April 29.

While no accurate predictions have been made, the 21-metre rocket’s debris, which could also burn up in parts before hitting earth’s space, are expected to end somewhere in the Pacific Ocean.

In a statement issued today, Malaysia’s space agency said the re-entry point has been predicted at between the lattitudes of 41.5° North and 41.5° South.

It said in many cases of re-entry the uncertainties are high due to changes in the atmospheric conditions as well as the physics involving the object re-entering including the composition of its materials and its velocity.

There is also no major cause for concern, MYSA said, adding that the potetial for any damage to human or properties was very minimal and called on Malaysians not to touch any object suspected as part of the re-entry debris.

— WE

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