[International] Indonesia Discovers Chinese Rocket Debris, Suspected to be from Zhuque-2E
RtiTalk 小編1d ago
Indonesian authorities stated that a car-sized piece of Chinese rocket debris fell into a palm oil plantation near residential areas and an industrial zone. In response, Indonesian authorities launched an investigation on the 20th.
The debris was discovered on the morning of the 19th by a palm plantation worker in Borneo. Previously, residents of the Indonesian island of Kalimantan had reported hearing a loud noise in a remote area of Central Kalimantan the night before.
A worker told Agence France-Presse, "It just appeared there. At first, I thought it was airplane wreckage." He added that the debris fell only about 3 kilometers from his staff dormitory area. Fortunately, all the workers were home at the time, so no one was injured.
The local police chief described the debris as "a rather large aluminum alloy plate, 9 meters long, irregularly shaped, and with obvious burn marks."
Indonesian Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson Zachrudien stated that the incident caused no casualties or property damage. He added that the debris had no residual radiation or toxic substances.
The Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) speculates that the debris may have come from China's Zhuque-2E carrier rocket.
The Chinese government announced last week that the Zhuque-2E carrier rocket successfully launched 10 satellites into space from a commercial launch site in northwestern China.
Researchers from the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency stated that when spacecraft re-enter Earth's atmosphere, not all parts are completely burned up, and more heat-resistant components may still fall back to the ground. He said this could explain why large metal debris was found in the palm plantation.
Rocket and space debris usually fall into the sea. The European Space Agency (ESA) stated that although the risk of uncontrolled atmospheric re-entry is increasing with the rise in launch missions, the probability of casualties to the public remains extremely low.
The China National Space Administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Source link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=238703
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