All articles tagged with #chinese rocket
A private Chinese company, Galactic Energy, experienced its second launch failure with the Ceres-1 rocket, which carried three satellites into low Earth orbit. Despite a successful streak of 11 missions after a previous failure, the recent setback highlights ongoing challenges in China's private space sector. The company plans to learn from this incident and continue developing more advanced rockets.
A charred piece of space debris, likely from China's Jielong 3 rocket, was found smoldering in the Australian outback, marking a rare uncontrolled reentry of a rocket stage that partially burned upon reentry, raising concerns about space debris and reentry safety.
A piece of space debris found in Western Australia is likely part of the upper stage of a Chinese Jielong 3 rocket, which reentered Earth's atmosphere on October 18, 2025. The debris, possibly a composite overwrapped pressure vessel, was burning when found, indicating a recent reentry, and is being analyzed by authorities to confirm its origin.
A piece of China's Shenzhou-15 rocket exploded over California, causing a fiery spectacle in the sky. The 3,300-pound orbital module was not designed for safe reentry and was part of the rocket that launched in 2022. Witnesses initially speculated it was related to a SpaceX launch, but it was later confirmed to be Chinese space debris. This incident follows a previous infiltration by China involving a spy balloon flying over a US Air Force base. There are concerns about the potential impact of the debris, with some hoping it burned up in the atmosphere.
Skygazers in California were surprised by a series of bright fiery lights streaking across the night sky, with speculation ranging from debris from a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch to the Chinese Shenzhou 15 Orbital Module rocket. The FAA reported no unusual aircraft activity, and astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell suggested the debris was from the Chinese orbital module. The SpaceX Falcon 9 hardware lands safely after launch, making it unlikely to be the source of the fireballs.
US researchers have revealed that a Chinese rocket segment that crashed into the moon in March 2022 was carrying a secret payload. The rocket's upper stage left a distinctive double crater on the lunar surface, indicating the presence of an undisclosed additional payload. The unusual stability of the rocket's tumbling motion suggested the presence of a substantial mass on the booster's top end. The exact nature of the payload remains unknown, leaving room for speculation. This discovery highlights the importance of monitoring space debris and understanding the remnants of space missions on celestial bodies.
A study published in The Planetary Science Journal claims to have "definitive proof" that a mysterious rocket that crashed into the moon in March 2022 came from China and was carrying an undisclosed payload. The rocket, identified as the spent upper stage of China's Chang'e 5-T1 rocket, left behind two overlapping craters at its crash site. The researchers propose that the rocket's mass distribution, with twin rocket boosters acting as one mass and a mysterious counterweight on the other, caused the double crater. The exact nature of the payload remains unknown and is unlikely to be determined.
Researchers from the University of Arizona have identified the object responsible for creating double craters on the Moon's far side as the Long March 3C rocket body from China's 2014 Chang'e 5-T1 mission. The additional payload on the rocket, undisclosed by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), is believed to have caused the double crater phenomenon. The researchers tracked the rocket's path and analyzed its movement and changes in reflected light to determine its identity. The incident highlights the growing problem of space junk and the need for careful tracking of objects in space.
Last year, a mystery object crashed into the Moon, leaving behind a double crater. Scientists initially believed it was a defunct Chinese rocket, but new evidence confirms its identity. However, the findings also reveal that the rocket likely carried an unknown payload. The object was first detected by researchers at the University of Arizona and was later identified as a Chinese rocket booster. The team observed variations in the light reflected off the rocket, indicating its identity. The rocket's unusual movement suggested the presence of another object on board. The double crater left by the impact is unique and requires two roughly equal masses. The identity of the object presumed to have created the second crater remains unknown, and it may never be disclosed unless China chooses to reveal it.
A mysterious object, known as WE0913A, that crashed into the far side of the moon in March 2022 was most likely a Chinese booster rocket from the Chang'e 5-T1 mission, according to new research. Scientists mapped the object's trajectory and found evidence of an undisclosed additional payload. The object's stable rotation and the presence of twin craters suggest the rocket had a counterweight and an unknown object attached to it. The researchers admit that the nature of the undisclosed payload may never be known.
Two craters that appeared on the Moon last year were caused by a spent Chinese rocket booster, according to a study. The rocket booster, possibly carrying an additional unknown payload, crashed into the lunar surface. The debris was initially denied by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but a team of scientists from the University of Arizona has now provided evidence confirming the collision. The presence of two equal-sized craters and the stable rotation of the object suggest the presence of an extra payload. The incident highlights the need for increased monitoring of space debris beyond Earth as lunar missions become more frequent.
A video of a fireball streaking across the sky likely shows a Chinese rocket section that burned up in the atmosphere above Texas earlier this month. The four-ton rocket section entered the atmosphere above the southwestern corner of Texas at a speed of 17,000 mph after falling from low Earth orbit. The reentry of this Chinese rocket stage over Texas "reinforces the need for better international norms regarding high-risk uncontrolled reentries," U.S. Space Command told USNI News.