▲ Space Track預測長征五號火箭路徑。(圖/翻攝自Twitter/@meithan42)
記者陳宛貞/綜合外電報導
中國火箭「長征五號B遙二」(Long March 5B)上月底於海南島升空,未料完成任務後偏離軌道,即將重返大氣層,墜回地球表面。根據美國空軍專業太空追蹤網站「Space-Track.org」,長征五號將於台灣時間上午10時左右重新進入大氣層。該網站稍早在推特轉推最新消息指出,有跡象顯示火箭已經墜落,正在等待經證實的消息。
Spoke with the team. We have indications the is down. Once they get radar confirmation of nothing in orbit (after 0300UTC) they will release the final message with time. Y’all can stop hiding in your bunkers. @SpaceTrackOrg
— MotherOfAllLaunches (@Skitt0608) May 9, 2021
Latest TIP (as of 2021-05-09 0000Z) for CZ-5B (#LongMarch5B) (48275 / 2021-035B) shows projected re-entry at 2021-05-09 0211(UTC) +/- 60 minutes at latitude 35.9, longitude 24.4 (Mediterranean Basin)
— Space-Track (@SpaceTrackOrg) May 9, 2021
At 7.8 km/s, just 1 minute diff in the time of reentry =470 km diff in final loc
Space-Track.org預測指出,長征五號重新進入大氣層的時間約會是台灣時間9日上午10時11分,正負誤差60分鐘。美國聯邦政府出資的非營利航太公司Aerospace Corp最新預測則為台灣時間上午11時2分,正負誤差2小時。
The absence of new data sets could indicate #LongMarch5B reentered. This fits both our own latest prediction's uncertainty range and @SpaceTrackOrg predictions. Without confirmed video footage, a decay message or a new data set, we cannot yet confirm. We're still watching. https://t.co/F7Cvt1LvEq
— The Aerospace Corporation (@AerospaceCorp) May 9, 2021
Aerospace Corp稍早發文說明,一直沒有新的數據曝光,可能代表長征五號已經重返大氣層,與該公司及Space-Track的預測皆吻合,但目前未取得任何經過證實的影片或數據,正持續觀察。
然而,天文專家麥克道威爾(Jonathan McDowell)稍早推文指出,火箭主體殘骸截至台灣時間上午10時11分仍在軌道上,正飛越約旦上空。
Confirmed rocket was still in orbit at 0211 UTC only going over Jordan... https://t.co/ycSQ2yfXo9
— Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) May 9, 2021
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