The upper stage of a failed Russian Angara A5 rocket plummeted uncontrolled to Earth, crashing into open sea near French Polynesia.

The U.S. 18th Space Control Squadron confirmed the 4 p.m. Wednesday re-entry

The Persei upper stage was part of a heavy-lift rocket. The debris weighed an estimated 3.5 tons. Astronomer Jonathon McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics said most of it likely burned up in Earth's atmosphere before it hit the water.

The Russian rocket was launched Dec. 27. It was the third test flight, but that upper stage failed, causing the uncontrolled re-entry.

Space debris like this failed Russian rocket is a serious issue that has threatened the International Space Station.

In November, the astronauts aboard the ISS had to take shelter as debris from a Russian anti-satellite missile test passed closeby.

Three months ago, NASA administrators called on Congress to fund a comprehensive strategy for debris tracking and management, including international outreach.

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Russian rocket is in uncontrolled descent to Earth
Washington DC (UPI) Jan 5, 2021
A Russian rocket is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere Wednesday in an uncontrolled descent. Much of the rocket is expected to burn up as it plunges through the atmosphere, so there likely will not be major damage when it hits. According to Russia's state-run TASS news agency, the Angara-A5 heavy-lift rocket was launched Dec. 27 to test the Persei booster. The European Space Agency's Holger Krag told CNN no one can say where the upper stage rocket booster will land. "I ... read more