Debris from a rocket recently launched from China fell near a residential area, where passers-by filmed the impact. This is a Long March 3B that carried two satellites for China's Beidou satellite navigation system, the rough equivalent of the GPS system. The satellites were successfully sent into medium Earth orbit by the China National Space Administration on December 26 at 11:26 am (local time in China) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province, while the side thrusters of the Long March rocket 3B crashed in the Guangxi region of southern China.
Footage from passers-by shared on the Chinese social network Weibo apparently shows one of the engines falling into a wooded area and exploding. Reports also emerged of debris from the other engine falling near a house. This is not the first case in which thrusters linked to Beidou satellite launches fall near populated areas. In 2019, a thruster, which provides thrust for liftoff and then separates from the main rocket, fell to Earth after launch and destroyed a house.
China launches two Beidou satellites and some debris falls from space, touching a house
China has been criticized many times for allowing debris to fall to Earth following the lift-off of even large rockets such as the Long March 5. Unlike other countries, China has built many launch sites in areas inland to the detriment of coastal ones which allow debris to sink into the sea. Public warnings and evacuations are issued prior to operations to prepare residents for potential risks.
The last two satellites sent into space, Beidou's 57th and 58th respectively, will be used as a backup and will reduce operational risks for the satellite system that ensures continuous and stable coverage for China's global navigation systems.
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