Chinese Rocket Debris Expected Near Palawan and Tubbataha

MANILA, Philippines — China's Long March 12 rocket crossed Palawan airspace Monday afternoon, January 19, with debris projected to fall within waters near Puerto Princesa and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park. The Philippine Navy's Western Naval Command captured the rocket's visible trail on video at approximately 3:59 p.m. on January 19, about 11 minutes after the rocket launched from Hainan International Commercial Launch Site in Wenchang, China. The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) had earlier warned that rocket debris was expected to fall in two drop zones: approximately 22 nautical miles from Puerto Princesa and 14 nautical miles from Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, both within Philippine archipelagic waters. As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, January 20, no injuries, property damage, or debris impact on land had been reported, according to a Western Naval Command press release. The naval command monitored the event alongside the Western Command, Tactical Operations Wing-West, Philippine Coast Guard, provincial and city disaster offices, and the Philippine National Police Maritime Group. PhilSA had disseminated a pre-launch report to government agencies after China disclosed the drop zones through a notice to airmen warning of aerospace flight activity. Debris risks Unburned rocket debris is designed to be discarded as rockets enter outer space. But PhilSA warned they pose dangers to ships, aircraft, fishing boats and other vessels passing through drop zones. The debris could also float around the area and wash toward nearby coasts. PhilSA said the possibility of uncontrolled re-entry of the rocket's upper stages returning from outer space cannot be ruled out. The space agency cautioned the public against retrieving or touching suspected debris, which may contain toxic substances like rocket fuel remnants, and advised reporting sightings to local authorities. The Western Naval Command said it "remains committed to safeguarding the country's maritime and aerial domains, ensuring public safety, and upholding national sovereignty through continuous monitoring, inter-agency coordination, and timely information dissemination."