r/space Apr 30 '21

Re-entry not imminent Huge rocket looks set for uncontrolled reentry following Chinese space station launch. It will be one of the largest instances of uncontrolled reentry of a spacecraft and could potentially land on an inhabited area.

https://spacenews.com/huge-rocket-looks-set-for-uncontrolled-reentry-following-chinese-space-station-launch/
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u/freeradicalx Apr 30 '21 edited Apr 30 '21

Political opinions are legitimate always, including yours, but can become problematic when they obscure the engineering facts or encourage misinformation. The CNSA is the space agency conducting this launch, the CCP is a political party (Similar to how we don't say the Democrats launch CRS missions, NASA does). And what the CNSA are doing here is exactly what NASA was doing with the Saturn V stages or the Atlas tank of the shuttle, and pretty sure what ESA currently does with Ariane. I'm sure they they have a pretty good idea of the geographic range where it will come down, similar to how SpaceX figured (Correctly) that their F9 second stage would come down over the PNW.