The US Space Command said Russia tested a direct-flying anti-satellite missile, or DA-ASAT rocket, that struck a Russian satellite and created a debris field in lower Earth orbit including 1,500 orbital debris is trackable and also has the potential to generate hundreds of thousands of smaller orbital debris.
US officials highlighted the long-term dangers and potential impact of the global economy from Russia’s test, which posed a danger to satellites that power people around the world. telephone and broadband services, weather forecasts, the GPS system that underlies aspects of the financial system, including banking machines as well as in-flight entertainment and radio and television satellite.
“Russia has demonstrated a disregard for the security, safety, stability, and long-term sustainability of the space domain for all nations,” said General James Dickinson, commander of the US Space Command. “Debris generated by Russia’s DA-ASAT will continue to pose a threat to space activities for many years to come, putting satellites and space missions at risk, as well as forcing doing more collision avoidance. Cosmic activities underpin our way of life and this kind of behavior is simply irresponsible.”
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement that he was “outraged by this irresponsible and destabilizing act. Given the long and long history of human flight, it is unthinkable. imagined that Russia would endanger not only the American astronauts and their international partners on the ISS, but also their astronauts, whose actions were reckless and dangerous, threatening the entire station. China’s universe.”
Competition in space
The crew on board the ISS must quickly put on their spacesuits and jump aboard their spacecraft in case the station is hit by some flying debris, according to the Russian space agency ROSCOSMOS. Two US officials told CNN that the precautions were a direct result of the cloud of debris caused by the Russian test.
NASA said “the crew was awakened and instructed to close the hatches for the radial modules on the station,” while the hatches between the US and Russian segments remained open.
“An additional precaution to cover the crew was taken for two passes through or in the vicinity of the debris cloud,” the NASA statement said. “The crew members disembarked into their spacecraft just before 2 a.m. EST and stayed there until about 4 a.m. The space station will pass through or near the cloud every 90 minutes, but only if shelter for the second and third flybys of this event based on a risk assessment conducted by the debris office and ballistics experts at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed the condemnations from Nelson and Dickinson in a statement Monday. “The long-lived debris created by this dangerous and irresponsible test threatens satellites and other space objects that are vital to security, economics and scientific interests of all nations for decades to come”.
State Department spokesman Ned Price said the test “will significantly increase the risk to astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station, as well as other spaceflight activities.” of man,” adding that “Russia’s statement against weapons and the weaponization of space is unnecessary and hypocritical.”
Only a handful of successful anti-satellite weapons tests have been conducted by the US, Russia, China and India.
‘Irresponsible’
Mr. Price said the US would consult with allies and partners on how to respond.
Price said at a State Department briefing on Monday, adding that the United States wanted to “make it clear why this is so dangerous, why is this, such irresponsible behavior by the a country.”
Price said the United States had spoken to senior Russian officials several times to warn them of the dangers of such a test but did not say whether there had been any formal diplomatic communication with Moscow.
When asked about reports that the ISS crew had to seek shelter, Price referred reporters to Russia and emphasized that both American and Russian cosmonauts were affected.
The space station continues to be at risk from objects too small to be tracked as it orbits 220 nautical miles from Earth. These tiny objects can be pieces of rock, microscopic objects, dust particles or even patches of paint that peel off satellites.
Space Command said it was examining a new wave of debris. “We are actively working to characterize the debris field and will continue to ensure all space nations have the information they need to maneuver satellites if impacted,” the spokesperson said. of the Space Command said. “We are also in the process of working with cross-agency agencies, including the State Department and NASA, regarding these reports and will provide an update in the near future.”
‘A danger’
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters at a news conference on Monday that the “most immediate concern is the debris itself, which is currently floating out there and could become a hazard.” , including the International Space Station.”
Kirby said the Pentagon is keeping a close eye on the types of capabilities Russia seems to want to develop.
“We keep a close eye on the kinds of capabilities that Russia appears to want to develop that could pose a threat not only to our national security interests, but to our own,” Kirby said. other space nations”. “And again, we’ve been very clear, we want to see standards for space, so that it can be used responsibly by all nations that have space.”
This story has been updated with additional details.
CNN’s Ashley Strickland, Oren Liebermann and Jennifer Hansler contributed to this report.
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