Residents of a small village were stunned when reportedly a giant satellite dropped from space and crashed right next to their homes.
The falling satellite woke residents of the village of Taizimiao – near Danfeng County, in north-western China’s Shaanxi Province – shortly after 6:00am on 9th August, according to local media.
Footage shows large pieces of debris from a white cylindrical object scattered behind their houses.
The wreckage attracted a large crowd who curiously observed the smoking wreckage.
Another piece of footage shows thick plumes of smoke rising from the spot where it crashed.
Then, soldiers are seen storming the village to secure the crash site.
Witnesses told local media that the fall was accompanied by a loud noise that shook their windows.
The villagers were reportedly notified about the falling object in advance so they knew to steer clear of it.
No injuries were reported and the homes did not suffer any damage.
The massive debris remains at the site.
An employee from the nearby town government said that they cannot reveal the exact nature of the fallen object and there are designated personnel handling the situation.
Locals, however, believe that the object might be related to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation’s (CASC) Long March 5 carrier rocket.
The Long March 5 rocket successfully launched the core module of the Tianhe-3 space station from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan on the evening of 7th August.
During the launch process, the Long March 5 rocket separates into four boosters and a first-stage rocket, according to local media.
These separated objects remain in orbit for a certain period and then, under controlled conditions, reenter the atmosphere and fall in a predetermined area.
This designated area reportedly includes locations such as Danfeng County in Shangluo City, Shaanxi Province.
