On April 29, 2021, the Long March 5B rocket (Long March5B) launched the 22.5 metric ton “Tianhe core module” from the Wenchang Space Launch Complex
British media reported that the core section of China’s Long March 5B rocket went out of control after launch, and some of the debris may fall to the ground within days. Earlier, the official microblogging account of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) put together a photo of a Chinese rocket launch and an Indian cremation with the caption “China lighting a fire vs. India lighting a fire”, implicitly mocking India’s ineffectiveness in fighting the epidemic, which was protested by the Indian government.
“Three, two, one, ignition,, doorway, radar, shake test, flight normal,,…”
The Chinese Communist Party’s official media broadcasted the successful launch of the Long March 5B rocket (Long March5B) on April 29, with many people waving five-star flags to witness it. Official media Xinhua also reported that the orchestra played in the open air with the rocket lifting off behind it, describing it as an “exciting moment”.
Less than a week later, British media outlet The Guardian revealed that the Long March 5B rocket, carrying the Chinese space station Tianhe core module, was launched from the Wenchang spaceport in Hainan province into low Earth orbit. But the core section of the rocket did not return to the atmosphere and fall into a delimited range like a typical used rocket, it is currently in a temporary orbit, running around the Earth, and some experts are worried about it crashing into residential areas afterwards.
Chinese official media broadcast live the liftoff of the Long March 5B rocket. (Screenshot from Weibo)
China’s Communist Party touts the rocket’s exciting liftoff, but the main body of the rocket went out of control after the launch was completed
The Guardian quoted Harvard astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell as saying, “It’s probably not good. The last time they launched the Long March 5B, an unidentified metal tube crashed into Côte d’Ivoire, Africa. Most of the wreckage would have burned up in the process, but it would have been really lucky if no one was hurt when a huge metal fragment hit the ground.”
The report noted that the core of the Long March 5B is currently operating at 27,600 kilometers per hour, circling the Earth once every 90 minutes. The U.S. military has named it 2021-035B. but over the weekend, it dropped about 80 kilometers in altitude. SpaceNews reported that amateur astronomical observers said they observed the core tumbling wildly and out of control. At this rate it is difficult to speculate when and where it will crash.
McDowell said it was most likely to crash into the ocean, which makes up 71 percent of the Earth, but some of the debris, if not destroyed by the atmosphere, could amount to “a small plane crash with debris spread over 100 miles (about 161 kilometers).
The space community predicted that next week’s fall to the surface range within 40 degrees north and south latitude are possible
Taiwan’s National Space Research Center Acting Deputy Director Zhu Chong-hui pointed out in an interview with Radio Free Asia on the 5th, that according to the global advanced countries NASA monitoring information for simulation analysis, is expected to fall to the ground in the next few days.
Zhu Chonghui said: “The current estimate is May 8 to 10 will fall to the surface. It is now the satellite orbit inclination is 41 degrees, the current height in more than 100 km to more than 300 km, (fall or debris range) South latitude, North latitude within 41 degrees are possible, not the high latitude areas are possible.”
The Xi’an Symphony Orchestra plays in the open air on April 29, 2021, with the rocket behind it lifting off.
Zhu Chonghui mentioned that if the Long March 5B would not break up and descend intact, it was projected to pass through Taiwan at 11:00 last night (4th) according to the original simulation.
Zhu Chong-hui pointed out that, due to the speed of the falling object, may break up halfway, the current results of this simulation, there may be errors, will be based on the trajectory of the countries to monitor the forecast information, at any time to amend.
Taiwan National Museum of Natural Science assistant researcher, astrophysicist Wang Binwei, 5, said in an interview with Radio Free Asia, the current international assessment of the north and south latitude within 40 degrees, Africa, South America, Asia are possible. Higher latitudes of Europe and Russia are relatively safe. But the movement trajectory is uncertain, in fact, unpredictable.
China’s rocket history out of the package record high criticized for rash disregard for human safety and security
Wang Binwei mentioned that China’s Long March 5B can carry a weight of about twenty tons, a height of 53 meters, five meters in diameter, weighing 830 tons, is China’s largest “air truck”, the launch is for the future space station plans to prepare.
Wang Binwei said: “Space technology progress countries have commented, China is not a bit rash? The launch should do a good job of risk control, falling debris is not sure to fall there, will pose a risk to life and property, falling into buildings, vehicles, may smash people to death, a threat to human life and property.”
Wang Binwei metaphor, just like the driver should tie up the truck cargo before hitting the road, to avoid emergency braking hit people. Some rockets carrying nuclear-powered batteries are clearly thrown into space, and if they are not properly sealed and crashed improperly during delivery, they will pose a great danger to the Earth.
People on the beach watch the rocket lift off on April 29, 2021.
Wang Binwei mentioned that China is relatively new and actively involved in space technology research and development, the technology is not as mature as the United States, its rocket combination, what to ascend and what to drop, only the Chinese internal know.
Space science and technology and national defense are related to confidential technology hegemonic countries free heart evidence
Wang Binwei: “China is more closed, some of their scientific and technical data, we do not quite know why he will happen this kind of thing, launch rockets these technologies, many with the launch of ballistic missiles, the concept of national defense technology is closely related. Each country in space to launch rockets this part of the technology, in fact, there are left a lot of hands, is what we outsiders can not see.”
Wang Binwei pointed out that although there is an obligation to disclose under space law, but the free mind evidence, for example, the secret of the failed launch may involve the content it contains, the technology hegemony speaks louder, it is difficult to have coercive power on him.
Comprehensive media reports on the history of Chinese rocket launch accidents, there are many cases that were witnessed by the public but not officially acknowledged, such as in May 2012, the wreckage of a Long March rocket fell in Suining, Hunan Province, smashing people and high-voltage lines. in December 2014, the wreckage of a Long March rocket fell in Fuchuan, Guizhou Province. in April 2020, a Long March rocket and satellite fell in Sichuan witnessed by the public. in September 2020, a Long March 4B rocket will “However, one of the rocket boosters fell from the sky and exploded on a hillside next to a residential house 500 kilometers away.
The official microblog of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China’s Political and Legal Affairs Commission, “China Chang’an.com”, released a comparison between China’s successful launch of the Long March 5B rocket and India’s cremation of the bodies of infected people, with the caption “China ignites vs. India ignites”, sarcastically criticizing India’s ineffective epidemic prevention. The posting was removed after the Indian Embassy in China protested. (Weibo)
The Chinese Communist Party made fun of India with a rocket, but the Indian representative in Taiwan: no comment
The official microblogging site of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China’s Political and Legal Affairs Commission “China Chang’an” on April 1 released a comparison of China’s successful launch of the Long March 5B rocket on April 29 and India’s cremation of the bodies of those infected with the disease, with the caption “China ignites vs India ignites”, satirizing India’s ineffective epidemic prevention. The caption reads “China ignites vs. After the Indian Embassy in China protested, the posting was removed.
Now that the Long March 5B rocket is out of the bag, Radio Free Asia interviewed India’s representative in Taiwan, Dai Guolan, on the 5th, who refused to comment on the incident.
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