Zhuque-2E breakup floods low-Earth orbit with debris near Starlink and ISS
The upper stage of China's Zhuque-2E rocket apparently broke apart in orbit after reaching mission orbit on June 9, scattering an estimated 100 to 150 pieces of debris in a busy low-Earth-orbit region that includes the International Space Station and SpaceX's Starlink satellites. Debris is in an orbit roughly 208–263 miles high (335–424 km) with a 54.5-degree inclination, and the U.S. Space Force says the fragments are being monitored with no current threat to human spaceflight. Most pieces are expected to reenter within months due to atmospheric drag, though a worst-case scenario at higher altitudes could linger longer; the incident underscores ongoing concerns about China's growing contribution to space junk amid megaconstellation launches.
