- Sai Charan
UPDATE: Latest Re-entry Predictions For Chinese Out-Of-Control Rocket
Update-6 (10:28 AM IST): Confirmed: Object 48275, the core stage from the Chang Zheng [Long March] 5B No. Y2 launched on Apr 29 2021, re-entered over the Indian Ocean near the Maldives at about 0214 UTC May 9.
Update-5 (10:03 AM IST): Space-Track clarifies that the coordinates indicate the last location that the United States Space Force's 18th Space Control Squadron computer system recorded it. The rocket has been confirmed to have gone down north of the Maldives in the Indian Ocean.
Update-4 (9:42 AM IST): The United States Space Force's 18th Space Control Squadron has confirmed that the CZ-5B-Y2 has re-entered over the Indian Ocean. They are reporting that it went down 'north of the Maldives' but give a position of 50E 22.2N which is in Saudi Arabia.
Update-3 (8:53 AM IST): Space-Track has announced on Twitter that the rocket is down. They believe that the rocket went down in the Indian Ocean. Official data from the US 18 Space Control Squadron (18 SPCS) is awaited.
Update-2 (8:45 AM IST): China is now reporting that the rocket re-entered at 02:24 UTC at 72.47E 2.65N which is right over the Maldives.
Update-1 (8:25 AM IST): Insiders at the United States Space Force are currently reporting that data indicated that the CZ-5B Rocket Body has re-entered somewhere in between the Middle East and Australia. However, confirmation is awaited: Jonathan McDowell, Prominent Astronomer.
According to the latest predictions, the re-entry passes for the out-of-control Chinese rocket (CZ-5B Rocket Body with ID 48275) are over Australia, Southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and parts of the United States from Texas to New Jersey and Florida. Ironically, China is currently predicted to stay clear of the rocket's trajectory.
The Aerospace Corporation as of 9 May 2021 7:00 AM IST is reporting that the object is expected to be located over the Pacific Ocean at the current re-entry time prediction of 9 May 2021 8:32 AM IST ± 2 hours. Please note that the re-entry time prediction is preliminary and is being constantly revised. No predicted re-entry paths cross over India.