A Chinese launch vehicle made an uncontrolled return to Earth on Saturday, US Department of Defense officials said, chiding Beijing for not sharing information about the descent of a potentially dangerous object, The Guardian reported.

US Space Command confirmed that a Long March 5B rocket entered Earth's atmosphere over the Indian Ocean on Saturday, but referred all questions regarding possible debris dispersal and impact site to China.

A Long March 5B rocket was used last Sunday to launch an uncrewed spacecraft called Wentian, carrying the second of three modules needed by China to complete construction of the new Tiangong space station.

NASA chief Bill Nelson has criticized Beijing, saying the failure to share details of the rocket launch was irresponsible and risky.

All spacefaring nations should follow established best practices and contribute to the exchange of such information in advance, Nelson tweeted.

China said earlier this week that it would monitor the debris closely, but that it did not pose much of a risk to those on the ground.