Out-of-control Chinese rocket: Expert reveals how dangerous the falling spacecraft really is
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.An out-of-control rocket has gripped the world – as it falls towards it.
But how dangerous really is the rocket? And how likely is it that it will just fall down to Earth without any event?
We put all those questions – and more – to astronomer Jonathan McDowell. As well as being an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, he is also perhaps the pre-eminent cataloguer of what is happening in space.
That includes tracking the Long March 5B rocket over recent days as it orbit has brought it closer to Earth, ahead of its potentially perilous re-entry.
He explained where this rocket came from, how it differs from other spacecraft, how we know when and where it might land as well as how worried people should be.
He also discussed the wider context of the launch – whether the danger is increased by the actions of the Chinese space agency, if such dangerous re-entries are likely to become more common, and what humanity might need to do to ensure it stays safe in the future.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments