Bill Nelson also stated that all space powers should minimize the risks to people and property on Earth from re-entry of space objects and ensure the transparency of these operations.
WASHINGTON, May 9. /TASS/. The head of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Bill Nelson, in connection with the situation around the Chinese launch vehicle Long March-5B ("Changzheng-5B", CZ-5B), made a statement that China does not meet the standards for space debris. Nelson's statement was released on Sunday by the NASA press service.
"The space powers should minimize the risks to people and property on Earth from the re-entry of space objects and guarantee the transparency of these operations," the text says. - It is obvious that China does not meet the responsible standards regarding their space debris. It is very important that China, all space powers and commercial organizations operate in space responsibly and transparently to ensure the safety, stability and long-term sustainability of space activities."
The spent stage of the Long March-5B launch vehicle, which put the module of the Chinese station into orbit, entered the Earth's atmosphere over the Indian Ocean on Sunday, most of the debris burned up. On April 29, the Chinese National Space Administration launched the main module of the country's space station into orbit using the Changzheng-5B carrier. The launch was declared successful.
In turn, the US Space Command reported that the second stage of the rocket entered the atmosphere "over the Arabian Peninsula at approximately 22: 15 East Coast time, May 8" (05: 15 Moscow time, May 9). As noted in the press service, the wreckage "fell in the area of the Indian Ocean to the north of the Maldives."
