Detailed information; Big Chinese rocket set to fall on earth.
Trading radars are closely following the gradual fall to earth of a large Chinese rocket segment. The segment which is 18tonnes heavy will be one of the largest items in decades to dive into the atmosphere. This could happen over the weekend.
Different experts are pointing to the early hours of Sunday as the likely moment to re-entry. Thou such projections are highly uncertain.
The modelled debris was originally inserted into elliptical orbit approximately 160km by 375km above earth surface on 29th April. However the long March-5b segment has been loosing height ever since.
Thou the details are poorly known, it’s said that the quicker the core orbits the more it will decay depending on the air it encounters and the amount of drag this produces.
Most vehicles should burn up when the object plunge through the atmosphere, although there is always the possibility of metals with high melting point being resistant.
The chances of anyone being hit by objects from space is very minimal. This is because large part of the earth is covered by ocean and also because that part which is land includes huge areas which are uninhabited.
Modern practices now calls for rocket stages to be de-orbited as soon as possible after their mission, using an engine to direct their fall over safe zones. Usually over the ocean.
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