A Chinese rocket breaks apart dangerously close to the Starlink constellation
Summary
A Chinese rocket’s upper stage broke apart in space, creating debris near the orbit of the International Space Station and many SpaceX Starlink satellites. The U.S. Space Force is tracking the debris and says there is no current threat to human spaceflight, but the debris could affect Starlink satellites.Key Facts
- The rocket was the Zhuque-2E, launched by Chinese company LandSpace on June 9.
- The upper stage broke into about 100 to 150 pieces of debris shortly after reaching orbit.
- The debris orbits between 208 and 263 miles above Earth, crossing the International Space Station’s orbit.
- Aerodynamic drag is expected to pull most debris down to burn up in the atmosphere within months.
- Starlink satellites flying at lower altitudes could be at greater risk from the debris.
- China has increased its number of rocket bodies in long-lasting orbits by over 150% in the last five years.
- Rocket bodies can explode in orbit, creating more debris that is hard to remove.
- The U.S. Space Force is monitoring the debris to keep space operations safe.
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