Bystander footage, shared on social media, showed one of the boosters crashing in a forested area. There was an explosion when the rocket hit the ground.
Reports also mentioned wreckage from another booster landing near a residential area.
Analysis of the bystander footage revealed the presence of reddish-brown gas indicative of nitrogen tetroxide, along with yellowish gas, potentially from unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) fuel mixing with air.
Both nitrogen tetroxide and UDMH pose serious health risks. This incident echoes a previous episode in 2019 when a booster associated with Beidou satellite launches fell back to Earth, destroying a home.
CNSA -China’s NASA
The China National Space Administration (CNSA), responsible for coordinating China’s space activities, has faced criticism in the past. Notably, the uncontrolled reentry of the massive Long March 5 rocket, leading to space debris, drew international attention. The presence of inland launch sites, in contrast to coastal ones, raises concerns about rocket debris falling near populated areas.
