Portugal is one of the countries in the path of debris from a Chinese Space Agency rocket falling toward Earth. European authorities say debris from Long March 5B, which had been launched on July 24, should re-enter Earth’s atmosphere this weekend.
The route is not yet fully defined, but a map published this week by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency indicates that these wastes reach Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Malta and Bulgaria.
With a mass of 17 to 22 tons, these are one of the largest man-made objects to have fallen uncontrollably towards Earth in recent years. In statements to TSFastronomer Miguel Gonçalves guarantees that there is no cause for alarm.
“The probability that an object in a phenomenon of re-entry into the atmosphere falls on our heads is very low”, he guarantees, stressing that “a large part of the earth’s surface is water and many deserts”, so the probability that it falls in inhabited areas “it is even very low”.
“There is no record, in the history of space exploration, of any human fatality with the fall of this type of object”, points out the astronomer, who does not fail to point out that “we must look with special care at this type of phenomenon”, admitting that it may become more frequent.
It is not the first time that China has been involved in episodes of this nature and Miguel Gonçalves admits “suspecting that it will not be the last” because “it seems that it is becoming a kind of modus operandi of the country to let these stages of the big rockets enter in an absolutely uncontrolled way.
In May 2021, another Chinese rocket crashed near the Maldives, and the astronomer denounces what he considers to be a clear lack of international regulation, a “big, big challenge” for the aerospace industry.
The United Nations, he points out, “has several structures that could be that great multinational hat, a common denominator of all this new legislation, but also at this level it seems that inefficiency is being the rule, unfortunately.”
In this case, the one involved is a national space agency – China’s -, “but it is exactly the same with commercial companies.”
“At a time when we are sending more and more satellites up there, it is very, very urgent that we do something about it,” he appeals.
Although there is no news from the skies, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency has already issued an alert to all aviation: pay attention to the information that is being released about the fall of this rocket.
Source: TSF
