Team dispatched to probe rocket fragment in Sarawak - Adham
This followed the discovery of a fragment from the re-entry debris of Chinese rocket Long March 5B which was detected yesterday at 12.55 am around the Sulu Sea.
He said the team comprises the Space Division...
The Science, Technology, and Innovation Ministry (Mosti) has sent a special team to study the report of a resident in Pekan Sepupok Lama, Niah, Sarawak on debris found in the area, said its minister Dr Adham Baba.
This followed the discovery of a fragment from the re-entry debris of Chinese rocket Long March 5B which was detected yesterday at 12.55 am around the Sulu Sea.
He said the team comprises the Space Division, Malaysian Space Agency (Mysa), and the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB). They will cooperate with the Miri district police headquarters to conduct an investigation of the report.
"So far, AELB and the Hazardous Material (Hazmat) team have gone to the location to inspect the object.
"Mysa team and the Space Division will follow up on the confirmation. The ministry will report on the finding shortly,” he said.
Adham was speaking to reporters after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Graphjet Technology Sdn Bhd with Toyoda Trike Corporation and Asia Development Capital Ltd in Kuala Lumpur.
Also present was the director-general of Mysa Azlikamil Napiah who explained the fragment is a component of the carrier rocket Long March 5B launched in China on July 24.
“When the module has been released in space, the residue component would orbit and fall back to earth, disintegrating as it entered the atmosphere into fragments when crossing the country’s airspace,” he said.
Adham also advised the public to be calm and not to be worried during the investigation as well as not to approach the object's location.
Yesterday, a video recording of the suspected rocket debris in Kuching, Sarawak went viral on social media.
Mysa was previously reported as saying the rocket fragments would burn up before reentering earth’s space.
According to the agency, the fragment also crossed the country’s airspace and was detected in several areas including Sarawak’s airspace.
- Bernama
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