China is closely tracking the remnants of a Long March 5B rocket launched over the weekend, but the chances of debris causing damage are very slim, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
It is understood that this type of rocket adopts a special technical design and most components will be destroyed during reentry, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a regular media briefing, when asked if China knew when and where the rocket debris could land.Scientists say the odds of a populated area on land being hit by such debris are low, with most of the Earth's surface covered by water.
A few hours after Zhao's attempt to allay concerns, the China Manned Space Agency disclosed the location of rocket in a rare public statement. As of 4:00 p.m. , the rocket was 263.2 km from the Earth at its farthest and 176.6 km at its nearest, the agency said, in its elliptical orbit. The rocket is expected to reenter the atmosphere in the coming days under the pull of the Earth's gravity.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com
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