A huge chunk from a Chinese rocket is expected to fall back on Earth either on Friday or Saturday. There is however uncertainty about where exactly it will land.
According to the Aerospace Corporation, an American non-profit, the rocket body is the core booster of the Long March 5B rocket, launched from China’s Tiangong space station. The booster weighs 22. 5 metric tons and is about the size of a 10-storey building.
The corporation said it expects the rocket body to make an “uncontrolled reentry” back to Earth.
“The uncertainty of where the large debris will ultimately land presents a level of risk to human safety and property damage that is well above commonly accepted thresholds,” it said.
The corporation is keeping a close watch on the rocket body and will share predictions about its landing when more data becomes available. According to its latest prediction, the rocket booster will re-enter the atmosphere at 1120 GMT (IST 4.30 pm) on Friday, plus or minus three hours.
According to the Aerospace Corporation, generally 20-40 percent of a large object’s mass reaches the ground, though the exact number depends on its design.
“In this case, we would expect about 5 to 9 metric tons,” they said.
