stinkypinkydinky t1_ixop0i9 wrote on November 25, 2022 at 2:20 AM

When the Chinese talk about doing it, it's "controversial" and we must be careful of all the risks and the possibility of it being weaponized. When it's Europe talking about it, none of the risks or possibility of weaponizing are mentioned.

DeezNeezuts t1_ixow8o4 wrote on November 25, 2022 at 3:26 AM

Last I looked the EU wasn’t letting rockets fall randomly back to earth hoping they hit water.

stinkypinkydinky t1_ixoy7bu wrote on November 25, 2022 at 3:43 AM

The Chinese deliberately don't disclose where their rockets will fall. Which is shitty because of a whole host of repercussions such as forcing the cancelling of flights and causing anxiety among people, but that's the basis for Western narratives that Chinese spacecraft have uncontrolled descents. Fragments have fallen in population centers but European and American spacecraft have also had errant fragments falling close to population centers. China should absolutely communicate with NASA and other space agencies about their intentions, but I imagine they don't because they rightly or wrongly believe someone will try to beat them to the site of the wreckage if they know ahead of time where it will be.

Unless you legitimately believe China is going to allow its rockets to fall into American territory and allow Americans to just scoop them up. Space technology is a matter of national security, and no country is going to allow another country to have easy access to its technology if they can help it.