Chinese rocket stage breaks up into cloud of > 700 pieces of space debris

A recent launch of a Chinese Long March 6A rocket on August 6, 2024, has resulted in the upper stage breaking apart, creating over 700 pieces of space debris. This incident raises concerns regarding orbital safety, as the debris cloud is in the same orbital plane as the 18 Qianfan satellites deployed during the launch. The U.S. Space Command confirmed the breakup event, tracking more than 300 fragments, while LeoLabs reported at least 700 fragments, with estimates suggesting the total could exceed 900. Space debris at this altitude can persist for decades, complicating space operations. This is not the first incident involving the Long March 6A; a similar breakup occurred in November 2022, which resulted in 533 identified fragments. The Shanghai Institute of Aerospace Systems Engineering has proposed guidelines for reducing space debris, including deorbiting spent rocket stages and implementing passivation measures to prevent explosions. The recent launch was part of a larger plan to deploy a communications megaconstellation, Qianfan, which aims to launch over 14,000 satellites. However, the role of the Long March 6A in this project remains uncertain.

- The Long March 6A rocket's upper stage broke apart, creating over 700 pieces of debris.

- The incident raises concerns about long-term orbital safety and space debris management.

- This is the second breakup event for the Long March 6A, following a similar incident in November 2022.

- Proposed guidelines aim to reduce space debris and improve rocket stage disposal practices.

- The launch was part of a plan to deploy a large communications satellite constellation.