Chinese seize space debris being towed by Filippino sailors
According to Filippino Navy officials, after their sailors had captured and was towing a piece of space floating rocket debris back to shore, the Chinese Coast Guard arrived and forcibly seized it, cutting the tow line.
As they were traveling back to the island, “they noticed that a China coast guard vessel with bow number 5203 was approaching their location and subsequently blocked their pre-plotted course twice,” Carlos said in a statement.
The Chinese coast guard vessel then deployed an inflatable boat with personnel who “forcefully retrieved said floating object by cutting the towing line” attached to the Filipino sailors’ rubber boat. The sailors decided to return to their island, Carlos said, without detailing what happened.
Chinese officials denied this, saying they took possession after a “friendly consultation.”
Whether or not the Chinese took this debris by force or not, the fact remains that it existed, indicating once again that China is dropping rocket parts indiscriminately on other nations. In this case the debris probably came from either a first stage or a strap-on booster, released shortly after the launch from a low enough altitude that it doesn’t burn up in the atmosphere.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
According to Filippino Navy officials, after their sailors had captured and was towing a piece of space floating rocket debris back to shore, the Chinese Coast Guard arrived and forcibly seized it, cutting the tow line.
As they were traveling back to the island, “they noticed that a China coast guard vessel with bow number 5203 was approaching their location and subsequently blocked their pre-plotted course twice,” Carlos said in a statement.
The Chinese coast guard vessel then deployed an inflatable boat with personnel who “forcefully retrieved said floating object by cutting the towing line” attached to the Filipino sailors’ rubber boat. The sailors decided to return to their island, Carlos said, without detailing what happened.
Chinese officials denied this, saying they took possession after a “friendly consultation.”
Whether or not the Chinese took this debris by force or not, the fact remains that it existed, indicating once again that China is dropping rocket parts indiscriminately on other nations. In this case the debris probably came from either a first stage or a strap-on booster, released shortly after the launch from a low enough altitude that it doesn’t burn up in the atmosphere.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
What will happen when some of this Chinese rocket debris lands in an inhabited area and incidentally kills one or more people? Basically nothing. There may be a few harsh diplomatic letters written and some strong rhetoric but that will be about all. They won’t even expel the Chinese ligation.
I kind of hope it lands in some ranch in the desert near Area 51 and someone can make a tourist attraction out of it.
We and everyone else (Looking at you Japan, Australia, Europe ..etc) had better be preparing for “friendly consultations” with the PRC.
Perhaps sending all those HIMARS (and other equipment) to Ukraine without strong ability to rebuild and restock is not such a seriously good idea, I wonder if over using our stocks in “such a noble cause” only to find them inadequate when WE need them could be a dastardly plan to weaken America from within – nah can’t be.
Or maybe we can sit and watch “the show” as China claims Vladivostok and part of Siberia. I wonder which Xi will choose. – or both?
Joe Stalin wanted the Germans and the rest of Europe to expend themselves in war before he would come in and take Europe from the exhausted victors. Germany toppling France in what, weeks foiled that plan. I wonder, is Xi is watching the Ukraine situation like this?
The Chinese coast guard vessel didn’t randomly stumble across the towed debris. They must be tracking it where it lands and actively recovering it. That doesn’t bode well for debris that lands in economic zones or territorial waters. Especially in they do it in a “friendly consultation” manner.
Stop littering you jerks!