Indian satellite destruction created 400 pieces of debris, endangering ISS: NASA

[kamranofficial]

Washington:The head of NASA on Monday branded India's destruction of one of its satellites a "terrible thing" that had created 400 pieces of orbital debris and led to new dangers for astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

Jim Bridenstine was addressing employees of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration five days after India shot down a low-orbiting satellite in a missile test to prove it was among the world's advanced space powers.

Not all of the pieces were big enough to track, Bridenstine explained. "What we are tracking right now, objects big enough to track — we're talking about 10 centimetres (six inches) or bigger — about 60 pieces have been tracked."

The Indian satellite was destroyed at a relatively low altitude of 180 miles (300 kilometers), well below the ISS and most satellites in orbit.

But 24 of the pieces "are going above the apogee of the International Space Station," said Bridenstine.

"That is a terrible, terrible thing to create an event that sends debris at an apogee that goes above the International Space Station," he continued, adding: "That kind of activity is not compatible with the future of human spaceflight."

"It's unacceptable and NASA needs to be very clear about what its impact to us is."

The US military tracks objects in space to predict the collision risk for the ISS and for satellites. They are currently tracking 23,000 objects larger than 10 centimetres.

That includes about 10,000 pieces of space debris, of which nearly 3,000 were created by a single event: a Chinese anti-satellite test in 2007 at 530 miles from the surface.

As a result of the Indian test, the risk of collision with the ISS has increased by 44 per cent over 10 days, Bridenstine said.

But the risk will dissipate over time as much of the debris will burn up as it enters the atmosphere.

 

[maximuswarrior]

Raping, killing, scamming and now polluting.

 

[rajiv sharma]

Raping, killing, scamming and now polluting.

you are in serious trauma i guess . perhaps a victim too . just a thought . i might be wrong too .

 

[_Sherdils_]

As an amateur astronomer, I have always appreciated Indian space missions especially the Magalyaan mission and India's 100% success rate. Space is hard. Astronomy is one field where we literally have no boundaries.

You can go and checkout Lahore Astronomy group and see Indians and Pakistanis not arguing at all but have carried on collaborating, sharing space images shot by themselves together even in the midst of all this mayhem.

However, I am disappointed and saddened by this recent madness. What this means is, in case of an Indo-Pak war, India would shoot down Pakistani satellites and result would be chaos in space with soo many other satelites at risk, world's communication and advancement.

If no, India wouldn't dare do that to avoid putting other space assets at risk than why perform this useless test to begin with?

 

[jamahir]

As an amateur astronomer, I have always appreciated Indian space missions especially the Magalyaan mission and India's 100% success rate. Space is hard. Astronomy is one field where we literally have no boundaries.

Well said.

Why only space ?? Even on Earth, no physical boundaries.

You can go and checkout Lahore Astronomy group and see Indians and Pakistanis not arguing at all but have carried on collaborating, sharing space images shot by themselves together even in the midst of all this mayhem.

That is very good.

However, I am disappointed and saddened by this recent madness. What this means is, in case of an Indo-Pak war, India would shoot down Pakistani satellites and result would be chaos in space with soo many other satelites at risk, world's communication and advancement.

If no, India wouldn't dare do that to avoid putting other space assets at risk than why perform this useless test to begin with?

I agree that this test was needless.

I will say that kinetic-kill ASAT activity should be banned. Instead any nation wanting ASAT capability can choose from five other options : (1). Blinding by laser, (2). Heating up by microwave, (3). Remove cyber attack, (4). RF jamming, (5). Physical capture in a net and forced into re-entry into Earth's orbit to burn-up.

I will say that the 5th solution is the best.

 

[SrNair]

Raping, killing, scamming and now polluting.

Why are you soo concerned ?
You dont have enough space asset let alone ASAT.
This is big nations league summit not your cup of tea

P.S : Americans will cry for sometime we knows that but who cares .