New | China says space junk crashed in eastern province - possibly from failed Russian rocket
Debris reported falling from the sky on the same day Russia fails to launch satellite to orbit
Objects that crashed to the ground in China have been identified as space debris, state media reported, after a Russian rocket carrying a communications satellite fell back to Earth minutes after lift-off.
Qiqihar city in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang, which borders Russia’s far east, reported that several objects appeared to have fallen from the sky on Friday, the Xinhua news agency said.
After analysis, experts have concluded they were “parts from a carrier rocket or a satellite”, Xinhua said Sunday, citing the China National Space Administration.
Authorities were communicating on the issue “with relevant parties”, it added.
The report came after Russia’s space officials said the Proton rocket’s control engine failed on Friday just over nine minutes following blast-off from the Baikonur space centre Moscow leases in Kazakhstan – the latest blow to the country’s once-proud space industry.
State television showed the carrier and its Express-AM4P satellite burning up in the upper layers of the atmosphere.