Debris from an out-of-control Chinese rocket has broken through Earth’s atmosphere over the Indian Ocean. The Chinese National Space Agency confirmed the Long March 5B rocket re-entered over the Indian Ocean at 02.24 UTC (2.24pm New Zealand time) on Sunday, southwest of Sri Lanka. The Aerospace Corporation also posted on Twitter saying the rocket was down, after earlier forecasts suggested the rocket would land in the ocean near the North Island. Harvard astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, who tracked the tumbling rocket part, said on Twitter: “An ocean reentry was always statistically the most likely. The rocket was launched last week, carrying the first module of China’s space station into orbit.

Source: Stuff May 09, 2021 02:55 UTC