Rocket debris from China's recent satellite launch landed close to populated regions, as witnesses filmed the fiery descent in southern China. The incident involved the deployment of two Beidou navigation system satellites on December 25 as part of the country's satellite launch.
A Long March-2F carrier rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-17 spacecraft and a crew of three astronauts, lifts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi desert, in northwest China on October 26, 2023.
Chinese Rocket Boosters Crash Near Homes
On Christmas Day at 10:26 p.m. EST, the China National Space Administration initiated the launch of two satellites for its Beidou Navigation Satellite System from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province. This system serves a role analogous to the GPS employed in North America. The satellites were effectively placed into medium Earth orbit (MEO) by the Long March 3B rocket.
However, the success of this launch was accompanied by an unintended consequence. The side boosters of the Long March 3B rocket, which are part of its multistage launch vehicle, descended back to Earth and landed in the Guangxi region of South China. This occurrence raised concerns, especially as the debris landed in areas with human habitation.
Space journalist Andrew Jones shared bystander footage on X (formerly Twitter), originally from Weibo, depicting one of the boosters falling within a forested area. The footage captured a fiery descent followed by an explosion. Additionally, reports emerged of wreckage from the other booster, with suggestions that it landed in proximity to a residential area.
Heads up: it's been a while, but this kind of falling booster action was a feature of the Long March 3B launches of Beidou satellites from Xichang. https://t.co/rRM0mQ2g0p https://t.co/UnFXaoGgC4 pic.twitter.com/7XkRCTFLaW
— Andrew Jones (@AJ_FI) December 26, 2023
As per analysis, the first stage and four side boosters of the Long March 3B utilize a hypergolic propellant combination involving hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide. Both of these substances pose significant health risks.
The footage revealed the presence of a reddish-brown gas, indicative of nitrogen tetroxide, and a yellowish gas, possibly stemming from the mixture of unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) fuel with air. These findings underscore the potential environmental and health hazards associated with the rocket's propellant composition.
READ ALSO: China's Long March 5B Rocket Debris Found in Philippines, Nearby Southeast Asian Countries
Beidou Launch Challenges
Rocket boosters linked to Beidou satellite launches have, on multiple occasions, fallen in proximity to populated areas. In a reported incident in 2019, a booster, responsible for the initial lift-off and subsequent detachment from the main stage, crashed back to Earth, destroying a home.
The choice of inland launch sites during the Cold War aimed at providing a strategic advantage amid geopolitical tensions. Unlike U.S. and European launches that deposit boosters into the oceans, China's launches result in boosters falling downrange, necessitating authorities to issue warnings and evacuation notices for areas at risk.
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the primary space contractor, has undertaken measures to control drop zones, including tests of grid fins, parafoils, and parachutes. However, it remains unclear if these measures were implemented in the recent mission.
The Beidou launch, marking China's 65th in 2023, set a national record for orbital launches in a calendar year. Despite falling short of the targeted 60 launches, CASC achieved a record number, surpassing the previous records set in 2022 and 2021.
The 57th and 58th Beidou satellites launched serve as backups, reducing operational risks for the Beidou-3 system, and providing stable signal coverage for China's global navigation systems.
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