Space collision between American spacecraft and Russian satellite averted

Face to face: Passed very close at an altitude of 600 kilometers from the Earth, NASA and Defense Department expressed satisfaction on averting the untoward incident

Washington. A NASA spacecraft narrowly avoided collision with a Russian satellite in low Earth orbit. The spacecraft of NASA’s Thermosphere Ionosphere Energetics and Dynamics Mission (TIMED) and Russia’s Kosmos 2221 satellite passed very close to each other on February 28 at 1.30 am US time. At that time both were at a height of 600 kilometers from the earth.

The Timed spacecraft monitors the sun’s effects on Earth’s atmosphere, Live Science reports. Scientists say that if there had been a collision, the satellite would have been destroyed. This would have spread large debris in space, which would have been dangerous for other satellites. Representatives of NASA and the Defense Department said in a statement that the collision was better avoided. There is already a lot of debris in space, which poses a threat to satellites.

Concerned about increasing junk in space
Such collisions in low Earth orbit (altitudes of 180–2000 km) are called Kessler syndrome. However, no such major collision has occurred so far. Scientists are concerned about the increasing number of satellites and space junk. The Department of Defense tracks the 30,000 largest pieces of debris in space, according to NASA. The fragments pose a threat to satellites and the International Space Station.

Brainstorming to deal with the problem
Scientists are working on ways to deal with the problem of space junk. A team of Australian scientists has proposed removing small junk from space by blasting it with lasers, while the European Space Agency (ESA) plans to launch four robots. ESA is working on launching this mission in 2025.