A Chinese rocket deorbited over Minnesota and left this in a farmer's cornfield
Summary
A Chinese rocket launched on September 15, 2026, dropped a large piece of metal debris in a Minnesota cornfield after completing its mission. The debris is a part of the rocket used to carry satellites into orbit and fell back to Earth shortly after launch.Key Facts
- The rocket launched from the Gobi Desert in China and carried 10 satellites into orbit for a Chinese communications network called Qianfan.
- The launch lasted about 75 to 80 minutes, and the rocket did not complete a full orbit before debris fell.
- A farmer in Scott Township, Minnesota, found a large, circular metal object about 11 feet wide in his cornfield.
- The object matches the size of the upper part of the Zhuque-2E rocket used in the launch.
- Local law enforcement confirmed the debris is likely from space and is working with other agencies to identify and remove it.
- The debris caused no reported harm or danger to people.
- Under international law, China is responsible for any damage caused by the rocket debris.
- China plans to expand its Qianfan satellite network to over 1,296 satellites initially, aiming for more than 15,000 in the long term.
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