Debris from Chinese rocket explosion puts Sunita Williams and other astronauts on ISS at risk: Report | Technology News
Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore are stuck at the International Space Station (ISS). Their status might soon change from guests to full-time expedition crew members and they might have to stay at the ISS for the next six months.
Now, a new report by Business Today suggests that these astronauts might face risks due to debris from a recently exploded Chinese rocket. However, according to a report by News9, the US Space Command has said that there are no such risks.
On August 6, China’s Long March 6A rocket, carrying 18 G60 satellites, launched from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, exploded right after deploying the satellites, creating over 700 pieces of space debris. This debris could affect over 1,000 satellites.
🚨 We’re actively monitoring and analyzing the breakup event in #LEO involving a Chinese rocket body, CZ-6A. Our radar data indicates this event occurred on 6 August at ~20:10 UTC at ~810 km.
It resulted in at least 700 debris fragments and potentially more than 900. pic.twitter.com/C3sGXxIwsR
— LeoLabs (@LeoLabs_Space) August 8, 2024
The Long March 6A rocket broke apart at 503 miles (810 kilometres) above Earth’s surface, much higher than the ISS, which is at 254 miles (408 kilometres) above Earth. As of now, there is no confirmation of what caused this incident.
According to a recent report by Bloomberg, China is said to be monitoring this debris, and the foreign ministry has issued the following statement: “China has taken necessary measures and is closely monitoring the relevant orbital areas and conducting data analysis. China promotes the protection of the outer space environment and maintains the long-term sustainability of outer space activities.”
A similar incident was reported in 2022, when another Long March 6A rocket exploded, creating over 500 pieces of space debris with an increased risk of collision with other spatial bodies such as satellites.
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