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NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine did not mince his words when he was asked about the recent Indian mission to destroy a satellite in low Earth orbit, calling it "terrible", which has increased risks for the International Space Station.
Bridenstine added that the threat of small debris and space debris from the destruction of the small satellite at the laboratory in orbit is "unacceptable". The head of NASA made the remarks at a meeting on Monday, April 1 with employees of the space agency.
"What we're following right now are objects big enough to follow about 10 centimeters or more, and about 60 pieces have been tracked," said Bridenstine. "Of these 60, we know that 24 of them exceed the peak of the International Space Station.
"It's a terrible and terrible thing to create an event that sends debris into a climax that passes over the International Space Station. This type of activity is not compatible with the future of manned spaceflight that we must see happen. "
The video of City Hall is embedded below. Bridenstine talks about the threat to the space station and the mission of the Indian Space Agency about 8 minutes away:
The transcript of the town hall is on the NASA website and click here. Bridenstine added that the risk of collision of debris with the space station has increased by 44% since the destruction of the satellite at the end of March.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the country's scientists have managed to shoot down a satellite in low Earth orbit at about 186 km. Business Insider reports that India has joined the United States, Russia and China as a country that has used anti-satellite weapons or technologies.
Reuters reports that the United States led the first anti-satellite mission back in 1959.
In contrast, India said that space debris should disappear and disappear into the Earth's atmosphere over the next 45 days. The head of the country's defense research organization told Reuters the low-orbit satellite was aimed at reducing debris.
"That's why we did it at a lower altitude and it will disappear very quickly," said G. Satheesh Reddy at the exit.
"The debris is moving right now. We are trying to solve the problem of the amount of debris, but we estimate that it should go out within 45 days. "
Reuters reports that the shot down satellite was a military aircraft and the 1,653-pound device was launched in January to demolish it.
Bridenstine was not the only US official to speak publicly about the execution of the test, said US Secretary of Defense Patrick Shannahan: "We all live in space, do not disturb everything. The space should be a place where we can do business. The space is a place where people should have the freedom to operate. "
There are currently six astronauts living aboard the International Space Station from the United States, Canada and Russia.
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