09 May 2021 (updated 10 May)
The remnants of China’s CZ-5B (Y2) rocket re-entered the atmosphere on 9 May at 02:14 UTC over Saudi Arabia and impacted the Earth at 02:24 UTC (10:24 BJT). The parts surviving the re-entry fell into a sea area with the center at 2.65° North and 72.47°East, said CMSA. Space-Track.org tweeted that the 18 Space Control Squadron confirmed the remnants of the Long March 5B rocket had re-entered. The surviving parts fell into the Indian Ocean/Arabian Sea within the western area of the island group of the Maldives.
No immediate reports of any damage or casualties became known, ending an anxious week as people and governments wondered where and when the space debris would fall.
MORE...
China's huge rocket booster falling from space highlights orbital debris problem
Just for 2020 launches, there are still 32 rocket bodies in orbit. Fifteen of those pieces of space junk are Chinese. 10 were lofted by the U.S., 5 of them on classified missions, T.S. Kelso of CelesTrak, an analytical group that keeps an eye on Earth-orbiting objects, said. "The problem is the number should be zero, and we all need to start working now to make sure we don't continue to make this problem worse," Kelso concluded. "But the bottom line is that we all need to do better to stop leaving things in orbit after their intended use, and to find safe ways to remove them."
MORE...