Piece of Chinese rocket plunges to Earth above the US, Space Command warns

A Long March-2F carrier rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-15 spacecraft with three astronauts to China’s Tiangong space station, lifts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on 29 November, 2022 (CNS/AFP via Getty Images)

A piece of Chinese rocket broke up over the US after it lost control, according to US Space Command.

The remnants of the Long March rocket fell to Earth over Texas at over 17,000mph, after it carried three military spy satellites to orbit.

It is just the latest piece of “space junk” to fall back down to Earth in recent months. Experts have raised alarm that the vast amount of space debris could threaten both satellites above us and the world beneath when they fall down to ground.

Once again, the rockets re-entry was uncontrolled and fell down to the Earth in what officials said was a “high-risk” event.

Though no debris has been found from the incident, it could be anywhere in an area hundreds of miles long, officials said.

“U.S. Space Command can confirm the People’s Republic of China CZ-2D Rocket Body, SCC# 52910, reentered the Earth’s atmosphere over the southern region of North America at approximately 8:30 pm [Mountain Time] on March 7, 2023,” Space Command told USNI News, which first reported the rocket’s arrival.

“This was an uncontrolled reentry, meaning it was not steered but rather its orbit decayed and lowered naturally. This type of behavior reinforces the need for better international norms regarding high-risk uncontrolled reentries.”

Another Long March rocket was at the centre of worldwide panic after it became clear that it was falling to Earth in 2021. Since much of the Earth is uninhabited and the debris tends to be relatively small, the risk from such events is minimal – but they have fallen onto buildings in the past.

Another Long March rocket dropped to Earth last summer, leading to warnings from Nasa and concern over future similar events.