Why is the ISS at a 51.6 degree orbital inclination?

[Jonathan Scott]

A big chunk of space hardware has fallen harmlessly in the north of Myanmar:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-37946718

From what it looks like, I'd say it's the remains of the second stage of the Long March 11 which China launched that day. The orbit was sun-synchronous and was probably around 98 degrees inclination, so it would be heading about 8 degrees West of South from the Jiuquan Launch Center, which would take it over Myanmar on the way up. Seems a bit careless to launch in a direction which will drop hardware on an inhabited area, especially in another country.

Edit: After a bit of Googling, found more pictures and a somewhat weirdly translated report: http://www.bestchinanews.com/Military/4038.html

 

[fresh_42]

This sounds as if I should check this website here, that has been linked by a user some weeks ago, far more often.

 

[1oldman2]

Seems a bit careless to launch in a direction which will drop hardware on an inhabited area, especially in another country.

Interesting correlation here, China figures into it.
https://www.quora.com/Why-is-the-ISS-at-51-6-degrees-orbital-inclination

"Now, as to why specifically 51.6 degrees. This seems a little weird, at first, because we know the Russians launch from Baikonur. But if we look up Baikonur on a map, we see its latititude is at about 46 degrees.

But, sometimes rockets fail on ascent. And having a neighbor that could see rocket bodies falling on it as an attack, it becomes prudent to try to avoid flying over that neighbor on ascent."