PhilSA: Debris recovered off Palawan and Mindoro likely from Chinese rocket
MANILA, Philippines — Debris retrieved in waters off Palawan and off Occidental Mindoro may have come from a Long March 5B rocket that China launched in late October, the Philippine Space Agency said Wednesday as it repeated a call for accountability for objects launched into space.
PhilSA in August said "spacefaring nations must abide by the protocols and mechanisms enshrined in the UN Outer Space Treaty, encourage close coordination, and timely resolution of issues such as space debris mitigation." It said this would help minimize the risks that falling debris would pose.
The agency said that the National Coast Watch Center had confirmed that debris was found and retrieved in waters off Busuanga, Palawan.
In a post on Wednesday, the Philippine Coast Guard also said it received a report on Monday that local fishermen of Calintaan town in Occidental Mindoro found metallic debris the day before and had towed it to shore. Coast guard and police personnel verified the retrieval of a "white painted, curve shaped, and more or less six-meter-long metallic debris" that the PCG said Wednesday had yet to be identified.
"Based on the proximity from the drop zone and the visual perusal of photos released by Palawan authorities to the public on 08 November, there is a high likelihood that the debris found in Busuanga was part of the rocket fairing of Long March 5B," PhilSA said.
"In addition, it is highly likely that the pieces of debris reportedly found off the waters of Calintaan, Occidental Mindoro on 07 and 08 November were also part of the said rocket component."
The government will take custody of the debris, PhilSA also said as it warned the public against retrieving floating debris themselves.
"PhilSA would like to reiterate its sustained efforts to promote and encourage accountability among nations for objects launched into space," it said, adding the Department of Foreign Affairs already has its submissions for the ratification of agreements related to the registration of and liability on space debris.
The 1974 Registration Convention requires signatories to log space objects it has launched into a registry while the 1971 Liability Convention holds launching nations liable for damage that its space objects cause on Earth or to aircraft.
"These conventions promote accountability among nations for objects launched to space," the agency said in August, adding the treaties would be brought to the Palace for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s consideration.
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