[Global Issue+] Who Bears Liability for Damages from Rockets Falling to Earth?

21t Large Chinese Rocket Enters Atmosphere...Landing Site Unknown
Launch Country Responsibility Specified in Space Treaty...Former Soviet Union Also Compensated Canada

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] As a rocket launched from China has reportedly gone out of control and is falling back to Earth, air forces and space-related agencies worldwide are tracking the rocket to determine where it might land. The rocket is known to be over 30 meters long and weigh about 21 tons, raising concerns about significant damage if it falls on a major city.

There have been past incidents where debris from expired satellites or rocket parts fell to Earth and caused damage. Therefore, if any damage occurs due to this rocket's fall, the Chinese government is expected to bear compensation responsibility. Although the Chinese government confidently claims that the rocket body is specially designed to burn up entirely in the atmosphere, even partial debris could cause serious harm.

Falling Chinese Rocket... Still Uncertain Where It Will Land

[Image source=Aerospace.com]

On the 8th (local time), according to foreign media including the US ABC network, the US Space Command announced that the Chinese rocket Long March 5B, currently falling back to Earth, is predicted to re-enter the atmosphere between 10:11 AM and 12:11 PM Korean time on the same day. Due to Earth's rapid rotation, the exact crash location remains unknown, but the highest likelihood is that it will fall into the South Pacific Ocean.

However, since atmospheric entry involves weather conditions and various other variables, there remains cautious concern that it could fall on inhabited villages or major cities. The rocket is a large 21-ton vehicle, and it is expected that it will be difficult for it to be completely incinerated by atmospheric friction heat. Typically, depending on the angle and other conditions during atmospheric passage, about 20-40% of the falling object is known to survive and reach the ground.

Compensation Paid to Canada for Former Soviet Satellite Crash

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

If, by any chance, a specific country suffers damage from this rocket fall, China is expected to be held liable for compensation. The 'Outer Space Treaty,' an international treaty related to space development that came into effect in 1967 under the United Nations (UN), includes provisions holding the launching state responsible for damages caused by its rocket. Article 7 of the Outer Space Treaty states, "The State Party to the Treaty which launches or procures the launching of an object into outer space... is internationally liable for damage caused by such object to another State Party to the Treaty or to its natural or juridical persons."

In 1978, a Soviet satellite named Cosmos 954 crashed into Great Slave Lake in Canada. The satellite was powered by a small nuclear reactor, and when the reactor fell to the ground, the surrounding lake area was contaminated with radiation. As a result, the Soviet government paid compensation to the Canadian government for environmental cleanup costs under the Outer Space Treaty.

Among such aging satellites, there are military satellites suspected to carry small nuclear reactors, nuclear batteries, or weapons, raising significant concerns about the dangers if they fall. It is estimated that there are about 100 million pieces of space debris in Earth's orbit. Especially as major powers like China, Russia, and the United States compete again in space, launching massive numbers of rockets, the amount of space debris is rapidly increasing.

In particular, if incidents like this large rocket going out of control continue without the Chinese government informing the international community, there are growing concerns that a very dangerous crash accident could occur.