Debris from a Russian rocket is expected to fall into waters near Tasmania within the next four days, according to the Australian Space Agency (ASA).
The agency has issued an alert warning of the “expected re-entry of a Stage II Soyuz 2-1B Fregat rocket into international waters off the south-east coast of Tasmania”.
There is also a possibility of a “sonic boom” accompanying its re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere, the ASA told the ABC.
The event, expected between 9am on March 3 and 11am on March 7, aligns with the launch profile of a similar mission in August 2023.
During that mission, visible space debris was spotted over Melbourne and Tasmania and a sonic boom resulted in 23 ‘felt reports’ being recorded by Geoscience Australia.
The ASA says the debris is not expected to pose a risk to people or property.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has established a “temporary danger area” to the south-east of Tasmania.
“A danger area is a way of alerting pilots to an increased risk of flying in the area. It does not prevent pilots from operating in the area,” they said on the ABC.
“The danger area has been established in accordance with our international obligations and warns pilots of potential debris as a result of a space launch and re-entry.”
