Russian officials said on Tuesday that during the space missile attack on an old satellite, the astronauts on the International Space Station were not threatened and refused to accept US accusations that there was no accident.
The impact produced more than 1,500 pieces of space junk and formed a huge debris field, which prompted the astronauts on the International Space Station to immediately seek refuge in the docked space capsule for two hours.
After the four Americans, one German, and two Russians on board appeared, in each orbit or within 1 1/2 hours, when they approached or passed through the space debris, they had to close and reopen the communication system. To the hatches of the various laboratories of the space station, Associated Press reports.
The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed on Tuesday that it had conducted a test and destroyed an abandoned satellite that had been in use since 1982, adding that the attack was “surgically precise” and did not pose a threat to the space station.
However, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson told The Associated Press that the risk of astronauts from space junk is four times the normal situation. The orbit of the abandoned Russian satellite Cosmos 1408 is about 40 miles higher than the space station.
“I am angry at this irresponsible and destabilizing behavior. With its long history in the field of manned spaceflight, it is hard to imagine that Russia will endanger not only the American and international partner astronauts on the International Space Station, but also their own Astronaut,” Nelson Said in a statement.
U.S. officials blamed Russia on Monday “Dangerous and irresponsible” Attacking a satellite that created a cloud of debris could damage the space station and force the staff of the International Space Station to take evasive action.
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Brinken said that this test showed that Russia “despite claims to oppose the weaponization of outer space, but is willing to… through its reckless and irresponsible behavior to endanger all countries’ exploration and use of outer space.” .
The Russian military stated that it is implementing planned activities to strengthen its defense capabilities, leading to the fourth time an anti-satellite missile test has hit a spacecraft from the ground in history. The military denied that the test was dangerous.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels: “As part of the anti-satellite weapon system test, Russia actually shot down and destroyed a satellite. This is a reckless act.”
He said that this is an additional concern, “because it shows that Russia is developing a new weapon system that can shoot down satellites and destroy important space capabilities of the earth’s basic infrastructure, such as communications, navigation, or early warning of missile launches.. “
