A big failed Russian rocket just came crashing back to Earth out of control:
A Russian rocket fell to a watery resting place on Wednesday after an uncontrolled reentry into Earth's atmosphere.
The Persei booster was launched on Dec. 27 by the heavy-lift Angara-A5 rocket for a test mission. However, the upper-stage booster failed to enter the Earth's orbit as planned. Instead, it began inevitably being pulled back toward the atmosphere by Earth's gravity for an expected return to the surface in bits and pieces (if at all) on Wednesday afternoon, Pacific time.
[...] "I do NOT regard this object as a significant risk," leading orbit watcher and astronomer Jonathan McDowell said on Twitter. "Reentries for a object with dry mass of about 4 tonnes may see some debris reach the ground, but not much."
The rocket is thought to have weighed around 20 tons, but over 75% of that mass would have been in fuel that almost certainly would have burned up in the atmosphere.
The 18th Space Control Squadron of the US Space Force confirmed that the rocket reentered over the Pacific Ocean just after 1 p.m. PT on Wednesday.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by PinkyGigglebrain on Sunday January 09 2022, @07:18PM (3 children)
It landed in the Ocean for Goddess sake. Just like almost every other booster rockect, defunct satellite, and decommissioned space station that has ever fallen to Earth.
Seems more like that only time anyone mentions it is when it's a rocket or such from any non-Western aligned nation. When was the last time anyone heard about a US booster falling as expected into the ocean?
But no, because it was Russian it gets a click bait headline that stirs up FUD.
"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 09 2022, @07:33PM
Yup. A big nothing.
Unlike the multiple times the Chinese dropped booster rockets on their own people.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 09 2022, @07:34PM
It's news when it is unplanned/uncontrolled, just like it is news when one goes off course and has to be blown up.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 09 2022, @07:38PM
"Goddess' sake" and defending Russians? You're pretty sus, gigglybro.