Rocket debris from China's space station launch is falling back to Earth — but where?

[Varun]

A large Chinese rocket is set to make an uncontrolled reentry back into Earth's atmosphere, but it is not yet clear exactly where or when the debris will hit our planet.

China's Long March 5B rocket is "unpredictably" falling back to Earth after launching a part of the new T-shaped Chinese space station on Thursday local time in Wenchang, according to SpaceNews. The 22.5-metric-ton Tianhe space station module is in its correct orbit after separating as planned from the core stage of the rocket, which is now expected to re-enter in a few days or about a week.

https://www.space.com/china-space-station-rocket-launch-debris-falling

Knowing our luck, this is going to hit us (India).

 

[street cricketer]

Knowing our luck, this is going to hit us (India).

And pretty quickly, we'll release the statement "No Chinese entered and no rocket landed in our territory!"

 

[guna]

Knowing our luck, this is going to hit us (India).

Most probably Pacific or Indian ocean.

 

[Zeshan547]

Most probably Pacific or Indian ocean.

Just hope it falls in empty ocean, away from everyone.

 

[OMB]

How does USA react if it falls on US mainland?

 

[cric_man]

It will burn up on re-entry. No need to get anxious.

 

[pillionrider]

Will this country ever be the source of any good news?

 

[pillionrider]

Since 1990 nothing over 10 tonnes has been deliberately left in orbit to re-enter uncontrolled. The Long March 5B core stage is thought to be about 21 tonnes.

“What’s bad is that it’s really negligent on China’s part. Things more than ten tonnes we don’t let them fall out of the sky uncontrolled deliberately,” McDowell said.

Keep doing whatever they want as long as they're doing fine.

 

[Varun]

Keep doing whatever they want as long as they're doing fine.

If karma was a thing, it should go splat on their biggest wet market.

Will teach them a lesson for generations.

 

[Arsal_AK]

In the ocean. Nothing to worry about, the chance of it hitting a settlement are only slightly better than the odds of getting struck by lightning. Also most of it is going to burn up on re entry.