Long March 5B uncontrolled reentries
- Reported 0 people died.Reports from Côte d'Ivoire described no casualties.
The core stage of China's Long March 5B rocket reentered the atmosphere without control after launches in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Debris was reported on the ground in Côte d'Ivoire in 2020 and in Indonesia and Malaysia in 2022.
Reports of a pipe about 12 m long in Mahounou village and house damage in N'guinou, Côte d'Ivoire; no casualties reported.
Status As of the latest source reviewed: uncontrolled reentries recorded in 2020, 2021 and 2022; McDowell reported none of the 20-tonne class in 2024; no claim or ruling on record.
- Residents of Mahounou and N'guinou, Côte d'Ivoire — Pipe about 12 m long and house damage reported; no casualties Room
What happened
The Long March 5B rocket made its first flight on 5 May 2020. Its core stage reentered the atmosphere on 11 May 2020 over the Atlantic Ocean.
Reports from Côte d'Ivoire described a pipe about 12 metres long in Mahounou village (Bocanda) and house damage in N'guinou. No casualties were reported. McDowell said some of the objects were "very likely part of the Chinese rocket stage"; other items may have been unrelated, and full attribution was not confirmed.
A Long March 5B stage reentered near the Maldives on 8–9 May 2021. NASA Administrator Nelson said on 9 May 2021 that China was failing to meet responsible standards regarding space debris.
Another reentry took place on 30 July 2022 at 16:45 UTC, according to US Space Command, after the Wentian launch. Debris was found in West Kalimantan (Indonesia) and Sarawak (Malaysia). Nelson said China did not share specific trajectory information.
A further uncontrolled reentry followed the Mengtian launch in November 2022, and drop-zone warnings were issued in the Philippines. McDowell said there were no uncontrolled reentries of 20-tonne-class Long March 5B stages in 2024.
- 2020First Long March 5B flight 5 May; core stage reentered 11 May over the Atlantic; debris reported in Côte d'Ivoire
- 2021Reentry near the Maldives, 8–9 May; NASA Administrator criticised China's debris standards
- 2022Reentry 30 July; debris found in West Kalimantan and Sarawak. Further uncontrolled reentry after the Mengtian launch in November; Philippine drop-zone warnings issued
- 2024McDowell: no 20-tonne-class Long March 5B uncontrolled reentries
What was said
“China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris.”
“are very likely part of the Chinese rocket stage”
How it looked
Shown
Recorded
- Core stage reentered over the Atlantic on 11 May 2020; reports of debris in Mahounou and N'guinou, Côte d'Ivoire; no casualties reported
- Reentry near the Maldives on 8–9 May 2021
- Reentry on 30 July 2022 at 16:45 UTC per US Space Command; debris found in West Kalimantan and Sarawak
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
Insurers
What nature saw
Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.
What we don't know
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: No independent ecological evaluation is on record.
Court
- None on record No court case on record.
Record
- Unclear Whether all objects found in Côte d'Ivoire came from the rocket stage: McDowell said some were very likely part of it and others may have been unrelated; full attribution was not confirmed.
- None on record The words attributed to Nelson in 2022 are paraphrased in the sources reviewed; the phrase "failed to share" does not appear in his words as recorded.
- None on record The sources reviewed do not describe the condition of land or water at any debris site.
- None on record No compensation, claim or court case is recorded in the sources reviewed.
Did the harm stop?
The sources reviewed do not say the reentries ended; McDowell said none of the 20-tonne class occurred in 2024.
Who paid?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Sources
Press and investigations
- Debris from China's rocket may have hit African villagesRoom · 2020-05
- China says most rocket debris burned up during reentryWGBH · 2021-05-09
- Debris from China's rocket booster falls to EarthAl Jazeera · 2022-07-31
Researchers
- SpaceX and China power record-breaking year for orbital launchesAIAA · 2026-01-05
Connected cases
- Cosmos 1408 anti-satellite test (Russia) Russia · 2021
- NASA (Government) — here: Government space agency; its Administrator commented on the reentries; there: Statement on the test; ISS crew sheltered
- Fengyun-1C anti-satellite test China · 2007–2026
- NASA (Government) — here: Government space agency; its Administrator commented on the reentries; there: Publisher of Orbital Debris Quarterly News
- Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251 collision Low Earth orbit · 2009–2026
- NASA (Government) — here: Government space agency; its Administrator commented on the reentries; there: Publisher of Orbital Debris Quarterly News
- ISS battery pallet debris hits a Florida home United States · 2021–2024
- NASA (Government) — here: Government space agency; its Administrator commented on the reentries; there: Operator of the ISS equipment; respondent to the claim