Russian, US satellites collide over Siberia
Nearly 500 miles over the skies of Siberia, two communications satellites ran into each other in orbit, creating debris that could put the International Space Station at risk.
On Tuesday, a Russian satellite launched in 1993 was out of control, running into an Iridium commercial satellite launched in 1997.
The Russian satellite weighed nearly a ton while the US satellite weighed 1,235 pounds.
Yahoo News also reported the risk of damage also includes the Hubble Space Telescope and nearby Earth-observing satellites, according to Nicholas Johnson, an orbital debris expert at NASA.
Iridium is a system of 65 satellites that relay phone calls through special satellite cellphones. The company was originally launched by Motorola before going into bankruptcy in 1999 and relaunched by New York-based investment firm Greenhill & Co. in 2001.
Sounds like Goldeneye got activated. Where’s 007 when you need him? ;-P
Tags: collision, NASA, Russia, satellite, space, United States
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