Fragments of a Russian satellite have endangered the International Space Station (ISS). Space tracking company LeoLabs detected a cloud of debris after a Russian satellite disintegrated. The United States Space Command declared on X (ex Twitter) on June 26, 2024 that more than 100 pieces ended up in space, with a risk of collision with the ISS.
The satellite was in orbit at an altitude of 355 km above Earth, while the International Space Station was about 400 km away. As a result, astronauts aboard the ISS were asked to take shelter as a precaution, NASA wrote on X.
« Mission Control continued to monitor the debris trajectory, and after about an hour the crew was cleared to leave their spacecraft and the station resumed normal operations. », added the space agency.
The ISS is still in orbit around the Earth. // Source: Nasa (cropped image)
Russia destroys satellites for testing
Moscow is often accused of irresponsible behavior in space. In 2021, Russia deliberately destroyed a decommissioned Soviet satellite in low Earth orbit during an anti-satellite test, producing thousands of debris fragments. NASA condemned this act,
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Cover image photo credits: Satellite fragments have endangered the ISS. // Source: ESA
