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Space & Astronomy

India missile test endangers the space station

By T.K. Randall
April 2, 2019 · Comment icon 12 comments

Blowing up satellites creates a significant amount of space debris. Image Credit: NASA
India has blown up one of its own satellites, producing space debris that could end up colliding with the ISS.
The missile test, which India has hailed as evidence that the country has now entered in to the 'elite tier' of major space powers, has been slammed by NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine on the basis that it has created debris that could endanger astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

While the satellite was destroyed well below the orbit of the station, some of the debris could still pose a risk as it has been thrown in to a higher orbit.

"That is a terrible, terrible thing to create an event that sends debris at an apogee that goes above the International Space Station," said Bridenstine.

"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."
According to reports, the risk of a collision with the ISS has increased by 44%, however this will reduce over time as most of the pieces of debris should burn up in the Earth's atmosphere.

One of the biggest concerns for NASA is the possibility of a situation in which debris hits one satellite and destroys it, scattering even more debris and creating a chain reaction of destruction.

Such a scenario was the focus of the 2013 science fiction movie Gravity.

If such a thing were to happen for real it could set us back decades.

Source: The Guardian | Comments (12)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #3 Posted by Unfortunately 5 years ago
Great, now India is leading the global p***ing contest.   
Comment icon #4 Posted by Calibeliever 5 years ago
Damnit 
Comment icon #5 Posted by Jon the frog 5 years ago
Lets make things more difficult... just for the show of new capability reducing global capability.
Comment icon #6 Posted by pallidin 5 years ago
Wait... I thought our earth is flat and has a dome... how can the ISS or satellites even exist?
Comment icon #7 Posted by OverSword 5 years ago
Not to minimize what India has done as this is obvious sabre rattling aimed at Pakistan, but is the USA in much position to criticize? We shot down one of our own satellites in 2008 , imo to intimidate North Korea and China  https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&channel=iphone_bm&source=hp&ei=nD-kXJmhGsWU-gSLpKPIBQ&q=us+shoots+down+satellite&oq=US+shoots+dow&gs_l=mobile-gws-wiz-hp.1.0.0i131j0l7.7091.13081..15598...1.0..0.430.3738.0j1j7j4j1......0....1.......8..35i39j46i39j46i131j46j46i131i275.st7o7P0y3vU
Comment icon #8 Posted by Jon the frog 5 years ago
Nah, it's a false news probably...and the US don't want a space force to shot more stuff, it's propaganda.  https://www.defensenews.com/space/2019/03/01/space-force-to-cost-2-billion-include-15000-personnel-in-first-five-years/
Comment icon #9 Posted by Dark_Grey 5 years ago
INS Arihant left crippled after ‘accident’ 10 months ago They also crippled their own nuclear submarine due to a hatch being left open. Seriously. India new world superpower 2020?
Comment icon #10 Posted by Jon the frog 5 years ago
Wow, costly fail...
Comment icon #11 Posted by Aardvark-DK 5 years ago
The US shot down a satellite with the help of a F-15, so...not that different...
Comment icon #12 Posted by Brooksey 5 years ago
Stay outta the space race you clowns leave it to the professionals!


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