Russian Missile Takes Out Satellite, Endangers International Space Station

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA — A Russian anti-satellite missile test blew up one of its own satellites on Monday, November 15, according to the BBC, resulting in 1,500 pieces of trackable orbital debris and causing astronauts on the International Space Station to shelter in capsules for safety.

Politico reports that Russia did not warn the U.S. about the test in advance and subsequently the seven-member crew of the ISS, which included three Russian cosmonauts, was instructed to shelter inside the Soyuz and Dragon crew capsules for two hours, according to NASA.

The space station is now passing through or near the debris cloud from Cosmos 1408 every 90 minutes, though there is no need to shelter beyond the second and third passes.

More broadly, the BBC says space debris is a ‘rapidly worsening situation,’ with roughly a million 1-to-10 centimeter objects floating in uncontrolled orbit of Earth, and Time Magazine pointing out that much of it is moving at over 17,000 miles per hour.

Part of the explanation for this is that Russia is not the first country to shoot down a satellite in this way, with India, China and the U.S. also having done so previously.