tech
A Chinese rocket breaks apart dangerously close to the Starlink constellation
The rocket’s breakup likely generated 100 to 150 new pieces of space junk.
TL;DR
- The upper stage of a Chinese Zhuque-2E rocket broke apart in orbit on June 9.
- The breakup likely generated 100 to 150 pieces of space debris in a heavily trafficked area of low-Earth orbit.
- The debris could threaten the International Space Station and hundreds of SpaceX Starlink satellites.
- Most of the debris is expected to reenter the atmosphere and burn up within months due to aerodynamic drag.
- China's contribution to space junk is growing, with the mass of its rocket bodies in long-lived orbits increasing by over 150 percent in the last five years.
- Spent rocket bodies are a major source of space debris due to their size, mass, and potential for explosions from residual propellant.