Indonesian officials are investigating the fall of a large piece of Chinese rocket debris near an oil palm plantation. The incident occurred on Monday morning on Borneo Island, close to the city of Sampit, where a plantation worker discovered the piece.
Details of the Incident
Wardi Tamroni, a 51-year-old worker, said of the discovery: "At first, I thought it might be the remains of an airplane." The object fell about three kilometers from the residential complex of PT Agro Bukit, where he works. He added: "Fortunately, all the workers had gone home before the incident, and no one was left in the plantation."
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Local Officials' Description
The local police chief, Ikadak Dwi Yoga Sidi Mantra, described the object as "a large aluminum sheet approximately nine meters long with an irregular shape and visible burn marks." The spokesperson for civil aviation, Zahroidiin, announced that the incident has not resulted in any casualties or financial losses, and the debris poses no radiological or toxic threat.
The National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia (BRIN) stated that the debris is likely from the Chinese ZQ-2E rocket. China announced last week that this rocket launched 10 satellites into space from a commercial launch site in the northwest of the country. BRIN scientist Thomas Djamalaldin clarified that not all components of a spacecraft burn up upon re-entry into the atmosphere, and some heat-resistant parts can reach the ground.
On Tuesday morning, a second piece, likely from the same rocket, was found about one kilometer from the first piece. Zahroidiin commented on this, saying: "From the photos, it appears that this object is round and related to the first object." Both pieces are currently being examined at a nearby military airbase.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has stated that the risk to individuals from uncontrolled re-entries into the Earth's atmosphere is lower than rare events such as lightning strikes or shark attacks, but this risk is increasing. According to the agency's report, "If we expect such incidents to occur every day, we cannot continue our work."
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