Hong Kong – Debris suspected to be from a Chinese rocket was observed falling over a village in southwest China, causing panic among villagers and leaving a trail of bright yellow smoke on Saturday. Videos circulated on Chinese social media capturing the dramatic incident, showing the aftermath of a Long March 2C carrier rocket launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province.
The rocket successfully deployed the Space Variable Objects Monitor, a satellite designed by China and France to study gamma-ray bursts in space. Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed ambitions to establish China as a prominent space power, increasing space missions to compete with other global powers like the United States.
Following the launch, a video posted on Kuaishou, a Chinese short-video platform, depicted a piece of cylindrical debris falling over a rural village in Guizhou province, with reports of a loud explosion upon impact. Witness accounts and footage shared on social media revealed villagers, including children, fleeing the scene as the debris fell.
Experts highlighted the toxic nature of the rocket’s liquid propellant, emphasizing the potential health risks posed by the debris. Incidents of rocket debris landing in inhabited areas are not uncommon in China due to the positioning of its launch sites, with most rockets launched from inland locations, far from the coast, during the Cold War era.
China’s civil aviation authority typically issues warnings to pilots prior to rocket launches to avoid areas where debris may fall, but incidents of debris causing damage to properties and endangering lives have occurred in the past. Despite international criticism for its handling of space debris reentry, China continues to advance its space exploration efforts, aiming to solidify its position in the global space arena.