A Chinese Long March 6A rocket broke apart in low-Earth orbit, creating a debris field consisting of hundreds of fragments, according to U.S. Space Command.
Despite the incident, a U.S. Space Command spokesperson assured that no immediate threats have been identified, and routine conjunction assessments are being conducted to ensure the safety and sustainability of the space domain. NASA public affairs officer Rob Margetta also confirmed that there is no immediate threat to the International Space Station.
Satellite monitoring company LeoLabs estimated that the rocket’s break-up produced at least 700 fragments. Although there is no immediate danger, the debris could potentially descend into the orbits of the space station and SpaceX’s Starlink satellites.
Slingshot Aerospace warned that the debris poses “a significant hazard to LEO [low-Earth orbit] constellations below 800 km altitude.”
Audrey Schaffer, vice president of strategy and policy at Slingshot Aerospace, expressed concern that if future launches of the Chinese mega-constellation generate similar debris, it could significantly worsen the space debris population in LEO.
The rocket had been launched on Tuesday, successfully deploying 18 first-generation Spacesail satellites intended to improve global Internet access.
Peoplesmind
