Debris Disaster in Space
A defunct Russian satellite, Resurs-P1, shattered into over 100 pieces of debris, prompting astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) to take shelter for an hour, according to U.S. space agencies. This incident has raised concerns about the increasing threat of space junk.
The Resurs-P1 satellite, declared inoperative by Russia in 2022, broke apart at 10 a.m. Mountain Time (1600 GMT) on Wednesday, June 26. The cause of the breakup remains unknown. U.S. Space Command confirmed that the debris did not pose an immediate threat to other satellites.
NASA’s Space Station office reported that the breakup occurred near the ISS orbit, compelling U.S. astronauts onboard to take refuge in their spacecraft for nearly an hour. The satellite debris cloud remains a potential hazard, with LeoLabs estimating it could take weeks to months for the danger to pass.
The satellite disintegrated at an altitude of about 355 km
The satellite disintegrated at an altitude of about 355 km in low-Earth orbit, a heavily trafficked area with thousands of operational satellites, including SpaceX’s Starlink network and China’s satellites. Speculation about Russian involvement in the incident remains inconclusive.
Harvard astronomer Jonathan McDowell noted that no maritime alerts or airspace indications suggested a missile strike by Russia. “I find it hard to believe they would use such a big satellite as an ASAT target. But, with the Russians these days, who knows,” McDowell said. He and other analysts suggested that the breakup might have been due to leftover fuel causing an explosion.
Kessler effect concerns
The formation of space debris from such breakups heightens the risk of the Kessler effect, a scenario where collisions between space objects generate more debris, increasing the likelihood of further collisions. Currently, around 25,000 pieces of space debris larger than four inches are being tracked, posing a significant hazard to active satellites and space missions.