China spacecraft returns amid booster rocket concerns

The rocket carrying China’s second module for its Tiangong space station lifts off from Wenchang spaceport in southern China on July 24. - AFP

BEIJING, July 27 (AP): A Chinese cargo spacecraft that serviced the country's permanent orbiting space station has largely burned up on reentering the atmosphere, amid separate concerns over China's decision to allow a massive booster rocket to fall to Earth uncontrolled.

Only small parts of the Tianzhou-3 ship survived to fall safely on Wednesday into a predetermined area of the South Pacific, the China Manned Space Agency said.