China’s Out-of-Control Rocket Crashes to Earth

NASA warns China risked loss of life and property

A Long March-5B Y3 rocket, carrying the Wentian lab module for China's space station under construction, takes off from Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan province, China, on July 24, 2022. China Daily via REUTERS/File Photo

A Chinese rocket booster plunged in an uncontrolled manner back to Earth on Friday morning. This is the fourth out-of-control reentry of a Chinese rocket since 2020, triggering concerns and criticisms from the international space community.

China’s Long March 5B rocket re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere over the south-central Pacific Ocean at 6:01 a.m. ET on Friday, and a second object from the rocket re-entered the atmosphere over the Northeast Pacific Ocean region at 6:06 a.m. ET, according to U.S. Space Command.