On 15th November, a non-functional Russian satellite was destroyed by a direct-ascent anti-satellite mission. This has resulted in the generation of over fifteen hundred trackable objects so far, which will very significantly increase the risk of future collisions and further debris generation. This irresponsible action poses an unacceptable increase in risk to the long-term sustainability of space, spacecraft operations and to human spaceflight.
Following a similar debris-generating Chinese ASAT activity in 2007, the region impacted has become one of the most crowded in earth orbit.
Pascal Wauthier, Chairman, the Space Data Association: “It is the responsibility of all countries, institutions and companies active in space to ensure that they always act in a safe manner and avoid any actions that risk that sustainability. This test risks everything that responsible space actors are working tirelessly to protect and represents a deliberate action that undermines the safe and sustainable use of space for all of humankind.”