Just a few days ago, India tested its first ASAT weapon entering the club of elite nations possessing this capability.
According to reports, India’s ASAT destroyed one of its own satellites in the low earth orbit.
Apparently, this test has created 400 pieces of orbital debris which can lead to new dangers for astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
While addressing the employees of NASA, Administrator, Jim Bridenstine, said:
“Not all of the pieces were big enough to track. What we are tracking right now, objects big enough to track – we’re talking about 10 centimeters (six inches) or bigger – about 60 pieces have been tracked. But 24 of the pieces are going above the apogee of the International Space Station.”
He further explained,
“That is a terrible, terrible thing to create an event that sends debris at an apogee that goes above the International Space Station. That kind of activity is not compatible with the future of human spaceflight.”
With the amount of space debris produced by India’s test, the risk of collision with ISS has increased by almost 44%.
Soon after this statement by the NASA administrator, netizens started criticising NASA for all the debris it has created in the past.
A case of the pot calling the kettle black. From a nation that created most of the debris in space over decades, this is an audacious statement…. https://t.co/QFqCnES2gt
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) April 2, 2019
Now world is taking ISRO seriously…NASA is confused as how to react on success of ISRO ASAT !!! And what about dabris which USA, Russia and China dispersed in space…was that not damaging the space??
— Ajoy Singh🇮🇳 (@ajoysingh2011) April 2, 2019
@NASA what ASAT test did.. It is a small reflection.. What you are done before in Space.. That was terrible.. You did before lots of Wastes in Space..You never told about it..
— Vishal (@Vishal21690743) April 2, 2019
So this time NASA has given the proof of success of ASAT.
— Raman Dhoot (@RamanDhoot) April 2, 2019
OMG seriously why @NASA is so hypocritical.why is it always complaining about #ASAT testing since that day? DRDO earlier stated that the debris created because of this test will be vanished in 45 days.this statements by NASA shows how jealous they’re about Indian space research👎 pic.twitter.com/WC6zuMa53v
— HARI KIRAN (@meharikiran) April 2, 2019
Reports suggest that much of the debris produced by this test will burn up as soon as it enters the earth’s atmosphere.
