Debris from a giant Chinese rocket will soon fall to Earth - scientists still can't locate it

Aerospace Corporation announced that parts of a huge Chinese Long March 5B rocket will soon fall to Earth.

What we know

The specialists of Aerospace Corporation established that the first stage of the rocket will fall on July 31. The possible deviation is ±24 hours. Earlier, the rocket launched the Wentian laboratory module into orbit.

A similar incident happened last year. Then debris from an identical rocket fell to Earth after placing the central module of the space station into orbit. Moreover, within a few months the situation will happen again. And twice, as China plans to launch another space laboratory and telescope into orbit.

Aerospace Corporation employees said that the dynamics of the atmosphere prevent them from making an accurate prediction of where the first stage of the rocket will fall. However, specialists have a few more days, and they note that as the debris approaches, the accuracy of the prediction will significantly increase.

It is assumed that the stage (or remnants) weighs 23 tons, and its size exceeds 54 meters. Such an object will not be able to burn in the atmosphere, but it may shrink by 60-80%. The fall will occur in the zone represented by the ocean, which minimizes the threat to human lives.

Source: SpaceNews