Well done to China for putting the first module of their space station into orbit.

What a pity they don't give two hoots about the huge booster that's going to fall to Earth over the next few days. 

New Zealand not out of the firing line.

 

 

Can I sue China if it hits my house?

Noel

5 minutes ago, birdguy said:

Can I sue China if it hits my house?

Noel

Well, you could always try.

On the other hand, NASA never did pay the fine they got for littering in Australia. 🙃

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-12/four-decades-on-from-skylabs-descent-from-space/11249626

Trouble is, this guy is more of a threat than bits of Skylab. Debris could rain down over a very wide area and the Chinese haven't even attempted to ensure it lands in the ocean. No effort what so ever. 

Given that a big percentage of the planet is ocean we may be lucky but the threat remains.

15 hours ago, birdguy said:

Can I sue China if it hits my house?

Noel

Only if you're not in the house when it happens.

Edited May 6, 20215 yr by W2DR
kant spel

15 hours ago, birdguy said:

Can I sue China if it hits my house?

Noel

Probably not, but you can phone up the NSA and tell them you've got some interesting bits of a state of the art Chinese ballistic missile which they might want to buy off you so they can analyse them, and I suspect that'd be worth a few quid.

Could be any time now for impact!

And China are putting TEN more of these in orbit! 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-57013540

Could hit anywhere from New York To Australia. Ocean is more likely as the planet is 70% water. China are playing it down. 

 

Quote

 

Debris from a Chinese rocket is expected to fall back to Earth in an uncontrolled re-entry this weekend.

The main segment from the Long March-5b vehicle was used to launch the first module of China's new space station last month.

At 18 tonnes it is one of the largest items in decades to have an undirected dive into the atmosphere.

The US on Thursday said it was watching the path of the object but currently had no plans to shoot it down.

 

 

Edited May 8, 20215 yr by martin-w

On 5/6/2021 at 1:00 PM, Chock said:

Probably not, but you can phone up the NSA and tell them you've got some interesting bits of a state of the art Chinese ballistic missile which they might want to buy off you so they can analyse them, and I suspect that'd be worth a few quid.

I mean you think this is the first time the chinease have done this wouldnt you.

Oh no, theyve done it before,last year, over the Cote Ivoire.

still least they told the world this time, and didnt let the Taiwainese or Koreans enlighten us.

 

Edited May 8, 20215 yr by fluffyflops

On 5/5/2021 at 9:32 PM, birdguy said:

Can I sue China if it hits my house?

Noel

no.  China gets a free pass for everything.

7 hours ago, martin-w said:

Could hit anywhere from New York To Australia

At least it's a bit more accurate than somewhere between 90ºN and 90ºS 😛

Edited May 9, 20215 yr by Luis Hernandez
Spelling

As ever, much ado about nothing.

 

Quote

The bulk of the rocket was destroyed during the re-entry, but parts landed at a location 72.47° East and 2.65° North, Chinese state-run media reported.

The point lies west of the Maldives.

In the sea, where it was 99% likely to end up despite the hysteria of the news cycle.

Wellington will be destroyed by an earthquake, not a rocket. 😁 

Edited May 9, 20215 yr by WingZ

38 minutes ago, WingZ said:

As ever, much ado about nothing.

 

In the sea, where it was 99% likely to end up despite the hysteria of the news cycle.

Wellington will be destroyed by an earthquake, not a rocket. 😁 

 

No... it wasn't "much ado about nothing". The point is that since bits of Skylab came down most countries have attempted to mitigate the issue with careful design. The Chinese haven't bothered. 

And no, not 99% certain to be in the sea. All along, in this thread too, its been pointed out that the sea would be the most likely impact point. But that's not the point. The point is that there was a possibility of hitting a populated area.

Bits of Chinese rockets have hit populated areas before. 

They plan to launch numerous more modules to their space station, if the same attitude prevails the risk increases.

 

 

Skylab came down where it did, despite its trajectory being very carefully planned and steered.
It's a tricky business.

We haven't heard the Chinese side of the story, maybe it's not as cavalier as the media would have us believe.

Most of the Earth is covered by sea, and the majority of land is uninhabited. All told, the European Space Agency puts the lifetime risk of being hit at less than a billion to one.

Despite being painted as Evil Incarnate, it would not really suit any country to trash a city with space debris, if only because it makes you look bad.

 

Skylab was not too carefully planned, a panic on the second last orbit and as they feared it hitting the US a blast of the last rocket fuel  to push it away without regard to where it would land.  It did make a great sight from Coolgardie though and a great racket as all the dogs heard it coming from miles away then a rather strange sound as pushed the atmosphere aside.

Edited May 9, 20215 yr by harrry

1 hour ago, WingZ said:

Skylab came down where it did, despite its trajectory being very carefully planned and steered.
It's a tricky business.

 

Its since Skylab that increased efforts have been made to mitigate such issues. The Chinese haven't done that.

 

Quote

Since 1990 nothing over 10 tonnes has been deliberately left in orbit to re-enter uncontrolled. The Long March 5B core stage is thought to be about 21 tonnes.

 

1 hour ago, WingZ said:

We haven't heard the Chinese side of the story, maybe it's not as cavalier as the media would have us believe

 

Yes we have heard China's side of the story. Basically they have dismissed the risk as much ado about nothing. Despite part of their Long March rocket hitting a populated area before. The Chinese dismissed concerns as "Western hype". They claimed it was normal to allow boosters to re-enter the atmosphere, but failed to mention that their booster was twice the weight of boosters that are normally allowed to re-enter. 

 

Quote

But China insisted the risk was low.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-57045058

 

 

Quote

 

The uncontrolled return of the rocket led to pointed criticism from the US amid fears that it could land in an inhabited area. 

"Spacefaring nations must minimise the risks to people and property on Earth," US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement. "It is clear that China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris."

 

 

 

And guess where it did land? Close to the Maldives. Inhabited islands!

 

1 hour ago, WingZ said:

Despite being painted as Evil Incarnate, it would not really suit any country to trash a city with space debris, if only because it makes you look bad.

 

They have a track record. 

 

Quote

Last year, pieces from the first Long March 5B fell on Ivory Coast, damaging several buildings.

 

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/science/china-says-remnants-long-march-rocket-landed-indian-ocean-2021-05-09/

And there are 10 more modules to be launched. 10 more chances of, not landing close to the Maldives like this time, but landing on a populated area. 

Edited May 9, 20215 yr by martin-w