UN queried over mysterious falling metal pieces

[snoop1130]

UN queried over mysterious falling metal pieces

By The Nation

 

 

Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) officials have joined police investigating metal pieces of unknown origin that fell from the sky following the sound of an explosion in the Thai-Lao border area of Ubon Ratchathani province early Wednesday morning.

 

The metal pieces were found in various areas in four villages of Tambon Na Pho Klang in Khong Chiam district.

 

Boonchub Bungthong, director of the Bangkok-based GISTDA satellite operations, said the metal pieces – two more of which were discovered on Thursday including a larger piece six metres in length – were probably parts of a rocket used to launch a satellite into orbit. 

 

He said authorities had already contacted the United Nations, which records the details of countries’ rocket launches, to determine the country of origin, with the results expected in a week. 

 

Boonchub said the “explosive sound” that villagers heard was probably a sonic boom created by the rocket components returning to Earth and breaking apart due to high speed and friction with the atmosphere after achieving an elevation exceeding 100 kilometres. He added that there should not be a radiation risk, because typically rockets were fuelled by hydrogen and liquid oxygen. 

 

Boonchub also told people who found objects believed to have fallen to Earth to alert authorities.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30331786

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-11-16

[Enoon]

 

How about this from https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-log/:

 

Nov. 14: A Chinese Long March 4C rocket will launch the Fengyun 3D weather satellite into polar orbit from Taiyuan, China at 1:30 p.m. EST (1830 GMT).

 

18.30 GMT  Nov 14 = 1.30am Nov 15 Thailand doesn't it?

 

Latest info from https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/11/14/chinese-weather-satellite-launch

 

"The Fengyun 3D satellite lifted off at 1835 GMT (12:35 p.m. EST) Tuesday from the Taiyuan space center in Shanxi province located in northeastern China.

A three-stage Long March 4C rocket boosted the approximately 2.5-ton satellite toward the south from Taiyuan, where launch occurred at 2:35 a.m. local time Wednesday

The Long March 4C’s three liquid-fueled stages placed the Fengyun 3D satellite in a 500-mile-high (800-kilometer) polar orbit tilted 98.7 degrees to the equator, according to tracking data released by the U.S. military."

 

It was heading south, but just under 10 degrees off (to the "right", facing south), which would place it's trajectory nicely over Laos/Thailand.

 

You're welcome, "Boonchub Bungthong, director of the Bangkok-based GISTDA satellite operations",  let me (or anyone else who can do a Google search) know if you need any more help.

 

 

 

[Stargeezr]

Any Korean  language  on the pieces?

Just asking.Geezer

[Srikcir]

Thailand is now the hub of satellite debris.

[PETERTHEEATER]

.........because typically rockets were fuelled by hydrogen and liquid oxygen. .......

 

Really? Hydrogen? No wonder it blew apart....