Chinese space launch vehicle expected to fall into South Pacific on the 9th... "No possibility of falling on the Korean Peninsula"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 8th that debris from China's space launch vehicle 'Changzheng-5B' is expected to fall into the South Pacific Ocean around 11:40 a.m. on the 9th.

The Changzheng-5B is a space launch vehicle launched by China on the 29th of last month, serving the role of transporting space station modules. The launch vehicle weighs over 800 tons. The debris currently falling is estimated to be the upper part of this launch vehicle, weighing 20 tons, 31 meters in length, and 5 meters in diameter.

Since recognizing signs of the fall on the 5th of this month, the Ministry of Science and ICT has been monitoring the orbital changes of the Changzheng-5B debris in cooperation with the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, a space hazard monitoring agency.

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The Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute reports that if the debris from Changzheng-5B does not pass over the Korean Peninsula or experience orbital changes such as collisions with other objects, there is no possibility of it falling on the Korean Peninsula.

In the early morning of the 8th, the institute observed the expected orbit using the space monitoring dedicated equipment, Electronic Optical Surveillance Network Unit 5 (OWL5), installed at Bohyeonsan in Yeongcheon, Gyeongju.

Previously, the institute accurately predicted the time and landing points of rocket debris from 'Soyuz-4' in July last year and 'Changzheng-3B' earlier this month, closely matching the actual events.

The Ministry of Science and ICT explained, "We plan to continue closely monitoring the orbital changes with the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute until the final fall time."