The administrator of the American space agency and others accused Beijing of acting recklessly by allowing its rocket to fall to Earth seemingly uncontrolled on Sunday after carrying a space station into orbit.

The Chinese space agency said most of the 30-metre-long main stage of the Long March 5B rocket burned up above the Maldives.

The rocket carried the main section of the Tianhe, or Heavenly Harmony, space station into orbit on April 29 and although booster rockets usually fall back to Earth soon after takeoff, China has not said why the Long March was sent temporarily into orbit.