Massive space junk with Chinese writing crashes in Myanmar

Space junk makes a surprise appearance over some random city every so often, and sometimes it doesn't all burn up in time to avoid a crash landing. That's what happened recently in Myanmar, where some space junk reportedly containing Chinese writing crashed in a couple locations. Early reports suggest the debris originates from a Chinese satellite, though it doesn't seem anyone has an official answer at this time. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

The information comes from state media sources in the nation; they report a massive piece of something crashed in a jade mining area. The space junk is described as cylindrical in shape measuring around 15 feet in length and about three feet in diameter. The item crashed onto the property this past Thursday. A smaller bit of metal — this one containing Chinese writing — also crashed, though it hit a roof in a small nearby village.

At this time, Myanmar's Global New Light reports the items are likely either parts from an aircraft, a missile, or a fallen satellite. The nation's investigative body is currently investigating the matter and trying to determine the origins. Residents have taken photos of the items and posted on social media, where they report having heard a loud 'bang' before the massive item hit the mining company's property and bounced something like 150ft before settling.

Though space junk making its way back toward Earth isn't unusual, having such a huge piece of metal crash land into the ground is, and it could easily have resulted in injuries or death if it had landed in a populated area. Other instances of space junk making an appearance includes last December, when people caught pictures of a fireball that turned out to be bits of Russian space debris burning up.

SOURCE: AFP (Yahoo News)