Russian anti-satellite missile test debris

[wiggy]

ISS astronauts take refuge..

https://www.space.com/space-debris-astronauts-shelter-november-2021

[visibility3miles]

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-59299101

US anger at Russian anti-satellite missile test debrisThe US has condemned Russia for conducting a "dangerous and irresponsible" missile test that it says endangered the crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

The test blew up one of Russia's own satellites, creating debris that forced the ISS crew to shelter in capsules.

The station currently has seven crew members on board - four Americans, a German and two Russians.

The space station orbits at an altitude of about 420km (260 miles).

"Earlier today, the Russian Federation recklessly conducted a destructive satellite test of a direct ascent anti-satellite missile against one of its own satellites," US state department spokesman Ned Price said at a briefing.

"The test has so far generated over 1,500 pieces of trackable orbital debris and hundreds of thousands of pieces of smaller orbital debris that now threaten the interests of all nations."

Russian space agency Roscosmos downplayed the incident.

"The orbit of the object, which forced the crew today to move into spacecraft according to standard procedures, has moved away from the ISS orbit. The station is in the green zone," the agency tweeted (https://twitter.com/roscosmos/status/1460254121987133449).

The wayward material passed by without incident, but its origin is now under the spotlight.

It appears to have come from a broken-up Russian satellite, Kosmos-1408. A spy satellite launched in 1982, it weighed over a tonne and had ceased working many years ago.

LeoLabs, a space debris-tracking company, said its radar facility in New Zealand had picked up multiple objects where the long-defunct spacecraft should have been.

But Mr Price said the danger was far from over.

"This test will significantly increase the risk to astronauts and cosmonauts on the International Space Station, as well as to other human spaceflight activities," he said.

"Russia's dangerous and irresponsible behaviour jeopardises the long-term sustainability of outer space and clearly demonstrate that Russia's claims of opposing weaponisation of space are disingenuous and hypocritical.

"The US will work with our partners and allies to respond to their irresponsible act."

[visibility3miles]

Gravity Official Trailer - Detached (2013) - George Clooney Movie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0ijEEivCbg

Hollywood version.

[Lonewolf_50]

Only you can prevent Space FOD.
Where's Doctor FOD when you need him? :ooh:

[Hokulea]

I can't believe the Russians were this stupid, this test potentially affects everyone that has satellites in LEO including the Russians. What idiot ordered such a test?

[SimonPaddo]

I am lost for words, genuinely completely lost for words given the potential devastation this could cause.

[Ninthace]

Only you can prevent Space FOD.
Where's Doctor FOD when you need him? :ooh:
It is certainly a wayward body problem!

[Spud Gun]

Bit early to jump on the outrage bus.
No doubt this is a warning shot to the USA in the growing space arms race, but as for the claims of endangering the ISS ill wait for more reliable source.
Expect more of this nonsense from both sides

[Barksdale Boy]

Hokulea, you shouldn't be too surprised: I seem to remember that they did something pretty reckless during Apollo XI.

[sfm818]

Clearly a message is being sent with DARPA and US Space Force developing LEO constellations (Blackjack/Casino). This might also provide Roscosmos with an excuse to scrub the Prichal module launch next week. They've signalled their intention to disengage from the ISS project some time after 2024.

https://mobile.twitter.com/leolabs_space

[Hokulea]

Bit early to jump on the outrage bus.
No doubt this is a warning shot to the USA in the growing space arms race, but as for the claims of endangering the ISS ill wait for more reliable source.
Expect more of this nonsense from both sides

Would you count NASA to be a reliable source? And you expect more of this nonsense?

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-administrator-statement-on-russian-asat-test

[ORAC]

Amazing how new posters pop up to defend the Russians…..

[jolihokistix]

The Russians now copying the Chinese!?

[fitliker]

I can't believe the Russians were this stupid, this test potentially affects everyone that has satellites in LEO including the Russians. What idiot ordered such a test?
The idiot that did the testing at Chernobyl, got promoted to the space agency . What could possibly go wrung ?

[Bill Harris]

Didn't the Chinese also test satellite destruction/ targeting several years ago?
The Russians say this debris won't affect the ISS, but any orbital debris can potentially pose a problem.

[wiggy]

Hokulea, you shouldn't be too surprised: I seem to remember that they did something pretty reckless during Apollo XI.

Do you mean the Luna 15 attempted sample return?

If that’s the case whilst there were concerns about interference between the two missions an exchange of info between the Soviets and the US at a high level led to the conclusion that in reality the risk of any interaction was pretty much zero…..nothing reckless about it but I do however remember the media hyping it up for all it was worth..

https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/07/19/soviets-tried-beat-apollo-they-crashed-spacecraft-moon-instead/

As for the recent Russian test…..not exactly friendly, especially given the ISS factor, but they are entitled to point out that the US and others have destroyed satellites and scattered debris around by using anti-sat weapons in the past.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-satellite_weapon

[sfm818]

It would be naive to believe the United States has not engaged in unauthorized rendezvous proximity operations - the difference with China and Russia however is they have both demonstrated in recent times a capacity to abandon basic principles, cross a line, and test the use of kinetic weapons to destroy targets in orbit. In a move calculated to make a mockery of the fact there is no Treaty to prevent this type of conduct, the Plesetsk launch was NOTAMED.

[Hokulea]

The Russians have now admitted they did launch an anti-missile at one of their old satellites, but the debris will cause no problems. Yeah, right.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-59169899

For those that want to know a little more about the issues this caused, Scott Manly, someone well-qualified to offer an opinion, had this to say:

https://youtu.be/mvdQcDDUV1o

[wiggy]

It would be naive to believe the United States has not engaged in unauthorized rendezvous proximity operations - the difference with China and Russia however is they have both demonstrated in recent times a capacity to abandon basic principles, cross a line, and test the use of kinetic weapons to destroy targets in orbit.

Just for clarity the US has openly admitted it has engaged “rendezvous proximity operations”….most notable being the use of an ASM 135 to destroy satellite P78-1 in 1985…creating a space debris problem in pre-ISS days.

I would agree that doesn’t qualify as recent times, that space debris in LEO is a serious issue and the Russian test was an aggressive move but OTOH I got slightly :hmm: at the holier than thou attitude of some comments coming out of the US……..