China Opposes US Exaggeration and Promotion of Space Debris Damage

Most Falling Space Debris Burns Up Upon Atmospheric Entry, Causing No Damage
US Alarm Over China's 'Woojoo Gulgi' Spurs Exaggeration

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] Chinese media strongly reacted against the U.S., stating that the damage caused by the falling debris of the Chinese rocket to Earth will be minimal, and that the U.S. is exaggerating the danger due to its awareness of China's space ambitions. China launched the space station module "Tianhe" aboard the "Changzheng 5B" rocket on the 29th of last month to build its space station.

China's space station under construction (Photo by Baidu)

The U.S. Department of Defense stated in a press release that the debris of China's Changzheng 5B rocket is out of control and is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere around the 8th, raising concerns about potential damage. The debris, weighing as much as 21 tons, is rotating at a speed of 27,600 km/h at an altitude of over 300 km outside the atmosphere and is currently reported to be uncontrollable.

China's state-run Global Times reported on the 6th that the rocket debris is highly likely to fall into international waters, and that the U.S. Department of Defense's statement exaggerated the risk of the rocket debris. The media emphasized that the exaggeration of the risk stems from the Western camp, including the U.S., feeling threatened by China's space technology development.

Wang Yanan, editor-in-chief of the Chinese aviation magazine "Aviation Knowledge," told the Global Times in an interview, "The falling debris is made of lightweight materials and mostly burns up upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere," adding, "The debris is likely to fall into the ocean, and even if it falls on land, the damage will not be significant."

Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert, said, "It is common in the aerospace field for rocket and other space debris to fall to Earth," and added, "The U.S. Department of Defense's announcement is in the context of Western pressure on China." He further stated, "The exaggerated claims about the risk of space debris indicate that the Western camp, including the U.S., is nervous about China's 'space ambitions.'"

The Global Times also quoted Dr. Jonathan McDowell of Harvard University's Center for Astrophysics, saying about the U.S. Department of Defense's concerns over debris damage, "The risk of being hit by falling space debris is incredibly small. I would not want to waste even a second worrying about it."

China plans to send the modules and parts necessary for building the space station into space one by one and complete the space station by the end of next year. China intends to operate this space station for ten years starting from 2022, with plans to extend the operation up to 15 years depending on circumstances.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.