Team dispatched to probe rocket debris report
Published on: Tuesday, August 02, 2022
By: Bernama
.jpg "Team dispatched to probe rocket debris report")
MYSA Director-General Azlikamil Napiah explained that the fragment is a component of the carrier rocket Long March 5B launched in China on July 24.
Kuala Lumpur: 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 a debris found in the area, said its Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.This followed the discovery of a fragment from the re-entry debris of Long March 5B, which was detected at 12.55am (July 31) around Sulu Sea.
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He said the team, comprising the Space Division, Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA) and the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB), would among others cooperate with Miri district police headquarters to conduct an investigation on 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.
MYSA Director-General Azlikamil Napiah explained that the fragment is a component of the carrier rocket Long March 5B launched in China on July 24.
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“...So 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.
The rocket debris reported in Miri, Sarawak
Adham also advised the people to be calm and not to be worried during the investigation as well as not to approach the object location.
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On Sunday, a video recording of the suspected rocket debris went viral on social media in Kuching, Sarawak.
MYSA was reported as saying the rocket fragments would burn up before entering earth’s space.
According to the agency, the fragment also crossed the country’s airspace and was detected in several areas, including Sarawak airspace.
In MIRI, police confirmed receiving a report from a resident of Sepupok, Batu Niah, about 81km south of Miri, on the finding of metal debris, believed to be part of the Long March 5B rocket of China, near his house.
Miri Police Chief ACP Alexson Naga Chabu said following the report at 5.30pm on Sunday, police found a metal piece buried about one meter into the earth.
However, police could not confirm the origin of the metal and sought the assistance of Fire and Rescue Department Hazmat as well as the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti) to analyse the location.
“We are advising members of the public not to go near the area for fear the metal may contain radioactive substance which is harmful to health,’ he said in a statement, Monday.
The area is being closely monitored to ensure no untoward incident occurs.
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