It has been found that the rocket fragments expected to collide with the lunar surface are likely to be Chinese rocket debris, not the originally known SpaceX rocket.
According to Archyde.com on the 15th (local time), the space debris is scheduled to collide with the lunar surface on March 4, and is the 2014-065B launcher of the Chang’e-5-T1 rocket launched by China to explore the moon in 2014. experts said.
Astronomer Bill Gray previously announced last month that the upper part of the SpaceX ‘Falcon 9’ rocket might collide with the moon. Falcon 9 was launched in 2015 with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) space climate observation satellite.
The SpaceX rocket debris that Bill Gray predicted would collide with the moon was designated WE0913A. However, John Giorgini, an engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, found a problem with the prediction and sent an email to Bill Gray.
Bill Gray then recalculated and reviewed the orbit and found that his prediction was wrong.
Instead, Bill Gray speculated that the wreckage was the wreckage of the Chang’e-5-T1 launched by China in October 2014. The reason was that the rocket passed near the moon a few days following it was launched.
Estimated to weigh regarding 4 tonnes, the debris is expected to impact near Hertzsprung, a crater on the far side of the moon on March 4.
On the other hand, it is pointed out that such space debris not only obstructs the course of the satellite being explored, but can also adversely affect spacecraft that will be launched in the future.
Although the United Nations issued ‘Guidelines for the Long-Term Sustainability of Space Activities’ in 2018, experts still point out that there is no international organization dedicated to issues such as space debris.
(Seoul = News 1)
