NASA officials blasted China for “failing to meet responsible standards”, after a long March 5B rocket malfunction caused debris to crash on Earth over the weekend.
US space agency administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement that the Chinese spacecraft posed an unnecessary risk after the rocket crashed in the Indian Ocean near the Maldives.
“Spacefaring countries should minimize the risk to people and property on Earth on re-entry of space objects and maximize transparency about those actions” Nelson said in the statement On NASA’s Twitter page.
“It is clear that China is failing to meet the responsible standards regarding its space debris,” he said. “It is important that China and all astronaut nations and commercial entities act responsibly and transparently to ensure the safety, stability, security and long-term sustainability of outer space activities in space.”
The massive out-of-control rocket, launched on April 29, carried the first module for a future space station planned by Chinese authorities.
However, the rocket ran aground and into an uncontrolled descent, fearing that the debris could fall into populated areas and cause serious damage or death.
According to China’s official Xinhua news agency, the vessel re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere before Beijing time at 10:30 am on Sunday, Fox News reports.
“A large number of items were burnt beyond recognition during the reentry process,” the news agency said.
No casualties or property damage have been reported.
Last year, the debris of another Long March 5B rocket that fell and crashed on Earth landed in the Atlantic Ocean – by far the largest part of space junk hit the planet.
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