China-US tensions move to space as rocket debris heads for Earth

Finger-pointing over the growing problem of space junk is only going to get worse as both countries pursue their grand ambitions

And experts believe orbiting clutter poses a far greater threat than remnants re-entering the atmosphere

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The Long March 5B rocket leaves the southern island province of Hainan with the core module for China’s Tiangong Space Station in April. Photo: AFP

Published: 6:00am, 8 May 2021Updated: 6:31am, 8 May 2021

As the wreckage of a Chinese rocket falls unpredictably back to Earth, its return – possibly as soon as this weekend, according to some estimates – marks a new arena for China-US finger-pointing as both countries extend their presence in space.

The US military says it is closely monitoring the trajectory of the Long March 5B rocket’s remains – about the size of a 10-storey building – as a threat. While most of the debris is expected to burn up in the atmosphere, some components could survive and make headlines if they hit a populated area, although the chances of that are estimated to be less than winning the lottery.

Less than a month earlier, a spectacular space dumping event caught the attention of China’s space authority, the China National Space Administration.

The International Space Station’s robotic arm made a wide swing across the sky before releasing a three-tonne package of dead batteries and other waste. The enormous piece of junk is expected to circle the Earth for up to four years before re-entering the atmosphere.

The official China Space News website quickly published an article warning about the risks of such an act. “Let’s pray it will not come back and hit the space station,” it said.

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